You will live even if I have to die for you
by ThilboSong
Summary: Bilbo is sent back to the past with 2 purposes: save his dwarves and avoid the Great war. He has to travel again with his dwarves and he will have to get their trust once again, but what if he was not the only one sent back? Thorin/Bilbo Legolas/Gimli Dwalin/Ori...
1. Here I go again

I woke up with a terrible headache. I buried my head in my hands still with my eyes closed, what had happened?. I got up from the bed holding on to the nightstand and then I opened my eyes. When I opened them I realized that I recognized that room ... that floor, those sheets, the furniture ...

I was... dead? That should be.

I approached to the mirror that hung in my room, a room which I had not seen for almost 20 years, since my 111 birthday, since...

"Frodo!"

I ran looking for him, there has been years since the last time I could had run like that!

I went out of the house and I kept screaming looking for my nephew.

"Frodo! Frodo! Where are you?!"

"Master Baggins?"

I looked to my right and I saw an old friend of mine, Hamfast Gamgee, but he looked younger. He had no lines of age or white hair like the last time I had saw him.

"Hamfast, have you seen Frodo?" I asked him really worried.

"Frodo?" He looked at me strangely. "There is no one called Frodo in the Shire, Mr. Baggins. Who is he?"

I kept looking around, but a persistent pain in my head did not let me concentrate.

"Frodo… He should be here. Fro…"

A painful prick of pain in my head made me fall to my knees, screaming. Flashes appeared in my head, like images, distant memories that did not seemed mine ...

* * *

There's a woman and a man ... I can not see them clearly, but they both are at the end of my bed... this bed... is not the same one of Bag End, no, this one is large with silk sheets.

I feel heavy, weak.

The woman speaks, but I find hard keeping my eyes open.

"... You have done a lot for us, Bilbo Baggins, but there is still in you a sadness that lasts for years ..."

I look away. I want to speak but I can not do it. I'm too weak, too tired to continue. The woman keeps talking and I try to listen to her.

"... We saw your adventure 80 years ago, my husband and me. We could not intervene back then, but if we had done it we might have prevented the death of your 3 dwarves, the sons of my husband. "

The man nods, but says nothing. I can not help it and tears fall down throw my cheek. I vividly remember Fili's death at Azog's hands, how Legolas told me that Kili was killed by Bolg, and unfortunately, I remember perfectly the death of... the death of Thorin. I remember his words and how the light of his eyes, which were no longer gray blinded by the disease, went off as I held him in my arms.

"Farewell good thief"

"You loved him, did you not?"

This time it is the man who speaks and the one who takes me from my thoughts, and I nod. The man looks at the woman, and she continues.

"I noticed it in your eyes more than once when you looked at him, I could see it in his as well, and I notice it now in yours again."

I look them both with tired eyes. Only a few knew how I felt. All the dwarves from the Company knew it, I did not had to tell them they just knew it, like Bard, Dain, Gandalf and Thranduil after the battle. The Fellowship of the Ring found out when I told our story before they have to leave. Gimli smiled because his father had told him already. I did not want anyone to know about it not even Frodo, but tears ran down my face and I had to tell. What good could have done saying it out loud? None. He was dead, no one could change it, not even now in my dying hour.

"You have also survived the rest of your friends, when you, being one of my children, should have reached my Garden quite before."

I remember how Gimli told me after returning from Mordor how Balin, Dwalin, Bifur and Ori had died in Moria. Balin become as Lord of Moria, had died after the arrival of the orcs and goblins to the city; Bifur died while he was digging, when the first wave of the army from the depths came to Moria; Ori... poor Ori, he died while he was writing the chronicles of the battle against Balin's grave; and Dwalin ... Dwalin died trying to protect Ori, but he could not and died next to him.

Nori became the chief spy of the King but during one of his assignments he was killed by a dwarf who wanted to assassinate Dain II.

Gimli told me that Dori had died of grief, that was what Gloin had told him since there was no apparent cause of death which occurred shortly after learning that his little brothers were dead.

Oin and Gloin had died with a few days apart of each other by a disease that dwarves from Ered Luin led to Erebor, but they died surrounded by their family, and that made Gimli smile a little when he told me.

Bombur died after an accident in the palace kitchens. He was survived by his wife and left fatherless his 8 children. Dain II helped them and his son Thorin III married one of Bombur's little girls.

And the last one was Bofur... he became aware that his family was dead and that he had nothing left, so he decided to go to see me, but he died before arriving at Bag End after an orc attack...

Tears run down my cheek, I am too old and I only want to meet again with my friends in Yavanna's Garden or Mahal's halls. As if she is reading my mind, she speaks again.

"You were his friend, yes, but Aulë, Mahal as dwarves call him, will nit let you be with them in the afterlife because you are a Hobbit and your place is with the rest of my children."

I sigh. I know I could not go to see them, but I have to try my hardest. I'll find my dwarves even if I have to face Aulë himself.

The woman and man smile and the woman approaches a bit to me. "What if I told you I can make you see them again? That you could prevent the suffering of your nephew and even yours?"

I open my eyes a lot. Frodo has never been the same after returning from Mordor. I've never seen his eyes shine with joy when he laughed with Sam, Merry and Pipin as he did before his journey... And it was my fault.

I look at her straight into her eyes. I am about to die of old age, my time has come, my heart has broken more times than it could bear, but I still have fire in my eyes. I'm not going to give up.

The woman smiles even more, as if she is reading my thoughts, and nods.

"You have to remember that we have given you a second chance, Bilbo Baggins. Remember what you have experienced and how you have suffered, you, your nephew, The Fellowship of the Ring, the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, and avoid the massacres before they take place. "

The man also approches to my bed, sits next to his wife, and starts talking. I barely can keep my eyes open.

"We hope in your alliance with Thorin, something that should had happen, that could not happen, that will link my children and my wife's children forever."

She strokes my cheek and my eyes start to close. Before I close them I see as the bedroom door opens and someone enters the room, but I am so tired that I close them without fear of what comes next, without fear of death.

I hear a few words when darkness comes over me.

"We'll meet again when you'll accomplish your task, Bilbo Baggins"

And I wake up.

* * *

I opened my eyes without looking at Hamfast, and I ran to my house. I went to see me into the mirror and I saw myself. I had no gray hair or age marks. It seemed like I was 50 again. I touched my face and put my other hand over the mirror.

"What have they done?"


	2. The expected unexpected visit

I touched my face and put my other hand over the mirror.

"What have they done?"

The door rang and I left the trance in which I was. I was in shock, but I had to approach to the door, and when I opened it I was stunned. It was Gandalf! But he was not white, no, he was wearing those gray and threadbare clothes with which I met him.

When he saw that I was looking at him, Gandalf spoke.

"Bilbo Baggins... you have not changed one whit since you were runnig under the skirts of your mother."

I smiled and I closed my mouth, still looking at him.

"Gandalf ..."

Gandalf smiled and nodded slightly.

"I see you remember me, son of Belladonna Took, I knew I was not mistaken with you." When he saw that I did not move, he coughed. "I believed that a Baggins would have better manners and invited to spend a helpless old magician to sit by the fire."

I remembered the last time he was there and how I was not a very good host to him, and I threw myself aside to let him pass. "Sure, Gandalf ... but you must remember that besides of a Baggins I am also a Took"

"I could never forget it, dear Bilbo"

We sat on two chairs by the fire, and he kept looking at him.

"I missed you, Gandalf" Gandalf raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "You do not remember, do you?"

"My dear Bilbo, I do not know what you mean"

I nodded, I stayed silent and looked out the window. I smiled, remembering our first conversation again and looked at him. "What rude of me, Gandalf, I have not tell you good morning.

"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"

I laughed so loud that was years since I did not do it like it. "All at once, I suppose!" He started laughing too and nodded. "Really, I've missed you, Gandalf The Grey"

"You liked my fireworks that much?" I looked puzzled, and then I remembered the fireworks from my childhood, the laughter, my parents ... I bit my lip trying not to cry. It had been 90 years since the death of my parents. "Dear Bilbo, are you okay?"

I returned from my memories and I smiled sad. "I just remembered my parents..."

"Good people they were..." I nodded and recomposed myself. It was time to ask a question whose answer I already knew.

"Why are you here, Gandalf?"

"I'm looking for someone to share an adventure"

I remembered then what I had suffered and lost on the trip. When I returned from the trip I was no longer the same gentle hobbit I was once, but I remembered the laughts with Ori and Bofur, the messes in which Fili and Kili got me in, comments of Erebor by Balin and his bright eyes when he remembered her, the stories Bifur had told me about, me chasing Nori after seeing that he had stolen me something, taken tea with Dori, stories about Gimli by Gloin, the different foods made with Bombur and the numerous recipes that he gave me, medicines that Oin taught me to prepare, and Thorin ... Thorin, all I missed about him. See him one last time worth his enduring icy stares and his acts of contempt. I could go through all of that just for seeing him smile again. He should not have died like that... at the gates of Erebor. A shiver ran through me at the thought of how he had died hugged by me while the eagles were coming.

"Count on me, but on one condition."

Gandalf nodded. "Whatever you want, Bilbo."

"You must promise that you will not discuss what I do, in the end you'll know why I do what I do, but please, please, you have to trust me."

Gandalf looked at me blankly. "Dear Bilbo, I have not even said what our adventure will be..."

"We will recover Erebor."

Gandalf became very serious staring at me. "How do you know about that, Bilbo?"

"B-Because I have my contacts, Gandalf ... and ... I think it's a great idea."

"I can not know how you know that, or who are your contacts, Bilbo Baggins, but I'll take my chance, because I think you will be very useful. Tomorrow I will come with the rest of the company, I hope you'll fit well." He got up to leave, and I followed him closely to open the door.

"I hope so, Gandalf."

When I opened the door, Gandalf made a mark on it, and I did not undeterred.

"You're not like I thought you'd be after all these years, Bilbo."

I nodded and sighed. "Something happened, Gandalf ... something changed me and I'm not the same Hobbit I was once. I do not longer care about simple possessions, nor my mother's dishes, I just want to help people. "

"I do not know what happened to you, but it seems you're more of a Took than a Baggins. Maybe this trip will drive away the pain that I see in your eyes, Bilbo."

I shook my head. "I hope so, Gandalf, for I do not know if my heart can go through anything like what I went through…"

Gandalf nodded and left worried. I closed the door and leaned against it. How was I going to face my dwarves knowing that they would not recognize me? How would I look to Fili and Kili without remembering their dead bodies? How could I avoid seeing Thorin and not remembering when he had nearly killed me prey of the disease, and how he pleaded before he died for me to forgive him? I would have to win them over again, and Thorin will be the toughest of all. I should have to defend Thorin from Azog again! I bit my lip, because I tried not to think about it and not think about the pain that had happened, and try not to think how it was only me who could do something so no one would died. And also avoid that Frodo would have to go to Mordor...

I gave up and began to cry sitting against the door, I kept the grieving that I have been into for over 80 years.


	3. Dwarves in Bag End

I gave up when Gandalf left and I cried sitting against the door, keeping the grief that I have been into for over 80 years.

I spent the next day buying food, clothing, and things necessary for the journey. I was afraid to meet my dwarves again that night.

I spent the afternoon cooking dinner, the equivalent for what I would do for my own birthday inviting all Hobbiton. I knew my dwarves and I knew of their appetite. I was placing the table when I heard the door. My first dwarf had arrived.

I opened the door and I found the dwarf who had defended me countless times, who had taught me that even the most hard dwarf can be gentle and shy, with a very big heart that Ori had managed to get soft during the trip.

"Dwalin ..." I smiled and he smiled at me.

"At your service, Mister...?"

"Ah ... Emm ... Bilbo Baggins, at your service." I said with a small reverence. "Please enter Mister Dwalin, I was just setting the table." I pointed to the living room.

"Have we met before, halfling?" Dwalin asked me while I took his coat and he went to the living room .

"Uh ... no, we do not know each other, but ... Gandalf told me how you all were." I cleared my throat and closed the door. "By the way, you can call Bilbo." I smiled at him and followed him to the living room.

Dwalin nodded. "Then call me Dwalin, Mister Bilbo. I'm ready for supper." He walked over to the table and began to move so all dwarves could sit down properly. I was still smiling at him. I was no longer afraid of him after having known him. I help as I could moving things until the door rang.

"That would be the door." I nodded and I went to open Balin.

I opened the door with a smile on my face and I did a reverence. "Bilbo Baggins at your service, mister Balin. Your brother is already inside, helping to set the table. "

Balin nodded with his mouth open and entered. "Thank you, mister Baggins."

I closed the door and I walked him to his brother. "Please call me Bilbo, if we are going to spend a long time traveling together it would be better if you call me by my name."

Balin smiled and nodded. "Yeah boy, call me just Balin then." He approached to his brother and I walked away to give them privacy.

"Good afternoon brother ..."

I leaned against the wall smiling. It had been years since I had saw both siblings so happy. I could hear them move furniture when the door rang and I sighed. How could I face Fili and Kili if I had seen dead in their eyes after the battle? I opened the door and my eyes filled with tears when I saw both siblings standing there, smiling.

"Fili"

"And Kili"

"At your service." They both said simultaneously.

"You must be Mister Boggins!" Said Kili looking at me.

I nodded biting my lip trying not to cry. "Bilbo, please Kili." I grabbed their stuff and I invited them inside. "Please, help Balin and Dwalin move furniture." Both brothers looked at me without understanding, and while Fili went to help them, Kili did not move from my side.

"Are you all right, mister Bilbo?"

"Yes, Kili ..." I tried to smile. "Just ... I remembered my nephews when I saw you ..." And it was true, I loved both brothers as they were my own nephews. "Please help your brother with the table. When the rest come I will serve you dinner." Kili's eyes lit up and he ran to the living room.

And I heard Fili, Dwalin and Balin shout: "Is not Boggins, it's Baggins!"

I laughed out loud, I missed those two brothers that one day I dared to call family. This time they were not going to die for Erebor, or for Thorin, or for anyone. Again, I heard the door and when I opened it I held a laugh to see the rest of the company fell to the ground.

"Good night!" I said looking at Gandalf, smiling fun while the rest of dwarves tried to move. "Dwalin, Balin, Fili and Kili have already arrived and they are setting the table."

"Mister Boggins, they have arrived and we are hungry!" Laughed Kili from the dining room and we all heard an "Ah!" as if someone had stuck him (probably Dwalin).

"Please" I said looking at the dwarves who were already up. "come in or Kili will start to eat my furniture." Some dwarves began to laugh and when I saw Bofur I got a huge desire to embrace him, like to Ori, but I could not do it, they did not know me.

"Thank you, mister Baggins." Ori said going into the room with the rest of dwarfs.

"You're welcome, Ori .." I said, and then I froze. No one noticed I had said his name without a previous meeting, except Gandalf. I assumed they believed that Gandalf would have told me their names or something. Gandalf closed the door and I did not move. He was staring at me.

"What do you know about this trip and our companions, Bilbo?"

"J-Just what you have told me, and Balin, and Dwalin... Dwalin told me how was each dwarf." I cleared my throat, I always had been a very good at inventing excuses. "I guess I've been lucky... please Gandalf, sit with the rest and I'll bring the food."

Gandalf just nodded, without actually believe me, and he went with the group of dwarves who were laughing. I was carrying food as they laughed and exchanged stories. I was very happy to see them all there, even if their manners were very unsatisfactory! I saved some food for Thorin and I sat beside Bofur at the precise moment when Ori began to burp. How... that could come out of such a small body? I've been wondering that for years. Bofur gave me an affectionate pat on the back (stronger than it should have been, which almost broke my ribs).

"Mr. Baggins, we thank you for this food and all these beverages, right boys?" He lifted his jug.

"Aye!" They all drank together.

"It was not annoying, I love to cook." I said smiling.

"I think it would be best if we clear the table, right?"

"Right!" They all shouted, and they began to stand up. They began to leave the room, and I made myself aside when Ori looked at me (with eyes that makes him seem like a little lamb), lifting the plate.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

Before I could respond, Fili took it out of his hand.

"Here you go, Ori, give it to me" Fili threw the dish to his brother who threw him into the kitchen. Then I remembered the last time they did the same, and I tried not to laugh, I yelled while the plates were flying over my head.

"Excuse me! Leave that! That's my mother West Farthin pottery it's over 100 years old! "I went to the kitchen where the rest were playing with the knives. I could not take it anymore and I told them smiling. "Can you not do that? You'll blunt them!"

"Ooh. Do you hear that, lads? He said we'll blunt the knives!" Said Bofur and they began to sing.

_Blunt the knives bend the forks_

_Smash the bottles and burn the corks_

_Chip the glasses and crack the plates_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth, tread on the fat_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor_

_Splash the wine on every door!_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole_

_When you're finished, if they are whole_

_Send them down the hall to roll!_

_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

I stood in a corner of the room listening to the song and watching flying plates and knives. When everyone was finished singing, Bofur and Dwalin, laughing, gave me a pat on the back each (which may ache a little ...) and the door was heard.

"He is here." Gandalf said, his smile getting away from his face, and before anyone could react I walked to the door.

I grabbed the handle of the door and I bit my lip, I was afraid to open and see him again... I fix my hair a little under the watchful gaze of Gandalf. I opened the door and there he was... the dwarf who I had been in love with for over 80 years. The dwarf for who I had grief all these years. His blue eyes met mine, and I tried not to remember the last time I saw them, life disappearing from them...

"So ..." said Thorin smiling at me. "This is the Hobbit."


	4. I'm responsible for my fate

"So ..." said Thorin smiling at me. "This is the Hobbit."

I nodded, I let him pass while I was looking into his eyes, and I closed the door. "Bilbo Baggins, at your service, your majesty." I bowed and I could not stop looking at him. The other dwarves laughed behind Thorin, but he kept smiling at me, then nodded and took off his coat.

"Thorin Oakenshield to yours." He left my eyes to focus on Gandalf. "Gandalf, I thought you said that this place was easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I would not have found it at all if it wouldn't for that mark on the door." Then he smiled at his nephews and cousins. I followed him with my eyes as Gandalf apologized for the location of Bag End, and he said something about he should have done a map or something like that, but I was not listening to him, I only had eyes for Thorin. I realized he did not have dark circles, and barely had gray hair, both became more evident every time we got closer and closer to the mountain, undoubtedly work of the disease... Thorin then turned to me, and I blushed like a teenager! He looked at me up and down walking around me. "Tell me Master Baggins …"

Then he was interrupted by Kili who was smiling. "He prefers to be call Bilbo, uncle."

Thorin raised an eyebrow and I could not help smiling. He kept looking me up and down. "Tell me Master Bilbo Baggins, have you done much fighting? Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?"

I still flushed, coughed and looked at him. "I develop better with a sword, much better if it is one proper of my size, of course." I said proudly.

Thorin again raised an eyebrow and I tried not to laugh at that gesture. "And how had you learned to use it? You look more like a grocer than a burglar."

This time, unlike the previous one, the other dwarves just smiled, but it looked like they were expecting for me to explain my self, just like Gandalf who was looking surprised at me. I bit my lip and looked down, what could I do? I could not tell them how were Dwalin and Thorin who had helped me a bit, and after the adventure was Lord Elrond and his sons who helped me handle the sword with ease. I turned to look at him and something occurred to me. It was not a lie of all but not the truth...

"Some years ago I accompanied a widower dwarf and his children to Ered Luin because they were lost, I did not have much to do..."

Thorin looked at me surprised. I had never seen him as surprised as then except when I stole the Arkenstone. "You traveled with a family of dwarves?"

I nodded, trying to think of a good story, after all I was the best storyteller of Hobbiton. "They were lost when they passed by Hobbiton. I was helping the harvest of some of my family when I saw them approaching. They came from... from the Iron Hills, and as I knew the road and the man had two children with him, I went with them."

Thorin kept watching at me perplexed. "How many dwarves were on that trip?"

I thought about it for a while. I could not say 13 because that could raised suspicions, so I divided our group in two.. "There were six: a widower, his two sons and three of his brothers. He was called... Theon, yes …" I bit my lip and I held my tears looking down to my feet, this time it seemed that my lip was going bleed. I'll should tell their history, tell their deaths, but as if they were other people, and that did not seem right. I heard whispers of other dwarves and I looked at Thorin trying to smile. "But that was long ago."

"Where is that Theon now?" Fili asked behind his uncle, and I shook my head trying to held my tears.

"Dead, Mister Fili, and there is no day in which I do not remember him." Everyone fell silent and looked at me with pity. Thorin looked at me and put his hand on my shoulder. I panicked and I tensed because I remembered the last time he touched me, when he wanted to kill me, so I removed it immediately.

"You are a very peculiar Hobbit, Master Baggins."

I smiled and took off my tears that were falling down my cheek. "I take it as a compliment, Mister Oakenshield." That made him smile and I was besotted watching him. Seriously, with that behavior I did not seem to be 130 years old!

Gandalf cleared his throat and made us both stopped looking at each other. "Thorin we should discuss our quest."

Thorin nodded and looked back one last time at me until he entered the room with the rest of the dwarves and the wizard. Fili and Kili grabbed my arms and they smiled.

"It seems like our uncle likes you" Kili said and Fili nodded.

"Yes, very few had been liked by our uncle at a first impression."

I blushed and looked down at my feet. "I-I do not think..."

Both brothers laughed and stroked my hair. "You keep it up." Kili said. "We would love to call you Uncle Boggins someday." And with that phrase they left, both laughing, and I was left speechless. Their... uncle? No, that was just a dream I had during the first quest and I certainly left it behind. That is what I thought...

I went to the kitchen and grabbed the food I had booked for Thorin. Upon my arrival, everyone was talking at each other and I approached to Thorin putting the food in front of him. "I figured you'd be hungry," I said giving him a huge smile.

"Thank you, Mister Baggins." Thorin said smiling at me and smelling the food. "I thought my family would have eaten all that was left."

I laughed and I watched as Thorin bit his lip slightly. "A good hobbit always makes a lot of food, especially for the leader of the Company. And by the way, just call me Bilbo. "

Thorin nodded slightly and lowered his head in respect. "Very well. Bilbo." Then he began eating.

My heart was beating really fast. I took a chair and sat beside him enjoying the small sounds of satisfaction that made Thorin while he was eating. Thorin finished eating while the others were whispering and I knew what would follow and disappointment will get in the response of Thorin.

"What news about the meeting in Ered Luin?" Balin said looking at Thorin who was mopping the plate. "They all come?"

"Yes, guests of the all seven kingdoms." Answered Thorin and everyone at the table smiled.

"And what about the dwarves of the Iron Hills? Is Dain with us?" The life of the party, Dwalin, had to ask that now that everyone had hope...

Thorin lowered his head and sighed. "They will not come." All dwarves released sighs of disappointment and I looked with pity at Thorin. "They say this quest is our and ours alone …"

"That's not fair..." I whispered and all the dwarf looked at me, which made me blush a bit because I thought I had spoken lower.

"You're right, Mister Bilbo." Said Thorin looking at me.

To change the subject, Gandalf spoke. "Bilbo, could you bring a little more light?" I nodded, took a candle and stood beside Gandalf, closer to Thorin who had not stop looking at me like if he was studying me. "Far to the east, over rangers and rivers, beyond woodlands and wetlands, lies a single solitary peak.." Gandalf pulled out the map and we all looked at it carefully. I had memorized after returning from Erebor.

"The Lonely Mountain. Erebor. "I said looking at Gandalf who nodded.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin said, proud of his brother.

Gandalf started to somke and Oin continued. "Ravens had been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was told. When the birds of the old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

I nodded, and without asking Thorin gave me a chair to sit down. I smiled at him grateful and looked at Oin. "But ... Smaug may still be alive …" And he was, but I could not tell them.

"Smaug the terrible... chiefest and greatest calamity of our age... Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors. Claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals..."As Bofur spoke, I looked to Thorin who was fidgeted and turned pale, so I stopped Bofur.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is, I may be a hobbit, but I had read a lot about them."

"I'm not afraid!" Jumped Ori. I could not miss the smile that escaped from Dwalin as he spoke. "I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the dwarfish iron right up his jacksy!"

"Sit down!" Dori said while all the Company agreed with him his little brother.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." Balin (the joy of the garden, brother of the life of the party) spoke, and made several dwarves feel insulted (even if Kili should not be...)

"Hey! Who are you calling dim?" Said Ori and everyone started to talk at the same time.

"We may be few in number. But we're fighters, all of us! To the last dwarf!" Fili said with energy, then Kili spoke.

"And you forget we have a wizard in our company, Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

I could not help laughing when Gandalf shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Oh, well. No, uh, I...I wouldn't say..."

"How many then?" Asked Dori. I looked at Thorin who was looking curious, and Gandalf seemed he was going to die from the smoke he had inside. "Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"

All dwarves cried out and tried to make peace, but Thorin jumped and screamed. "Enough! If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look East to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"At that moment I felt very proud of him. Thorin had always been a natural leader.

"You forget" continued Balin, lowering the mood, as always. "the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain."

I smiled and looked at Gandalf before he had even speak. "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." He pulled out from his pocket the key Thrain.

"How came you by this?" Said Thorin with disbelieving eyes.

"It was given to me by your father by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." All the company looked as Thorin grabbed the key, and I smiled. Then Fili spoke and I learned of the wisdom of the line of Durin.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." I felt like I should clap sarcastically.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."

Then Kili and I talked at once, smiling. "There is another way in." Thorin smiled and nodded. I kept talking. "Lord Elrond sure can figure out what you do not know, Gandalf."

Gandalf as if he had not heard me continued. "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But if we're careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That is why we need a burglar" Said Ori at me, and I nodded.

"That's why I'm here, right?"

"Exactly, Bilbo. You will be the one who will get into the mountain. "I nodded to Gandalf. I had already done it once, and I could do it better this time. Before I could answer Thorin coughed.

"We can not forget that Smaug may be alive. Mister Bilbo... I do not want you to enter without going protected."

I stared at him with my mouth open. The last time, Thorin was not concerned for my safety until shortly after Azog attacked him.

"I-I can protect myself." I said, not knowing what else to say.

"I do not doubt it, Master Baggins, but it's still a dragon, and you are much smaller than even a dwarf."

I stared at him and put my hand on his arm. "Looks can be deceiving, Thorin. I do not ask you to guarantee my safety nor to be responsible for my fate. Trust me on this, Thorin. "

Thorin sighed and looked at my hand on his arm, I swear he looked sad. Shortly after he looked at Balin. "Give him the contract."

Balin gave it to Thorin who gave it to me, crestfallen. I pretended to read it while the other dwarves talked among themselves. Thorin looked at me as I read the part that made me so long before faint, but this time it did not. I had faced Smaug myself, I was not afraid. I grabbed a pen and signed it, smiling at Thorin. "I'm ready for another adventure."

Thorin gave the contract to Balin still looking at me, and he confirmed my signature. "Everything in order. Welcome, Bilbo Baggins, to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield!"


	5. Can We Keep Him?

Thank you so much for all those comments and favs! They make me want to keep writing even more :D  
As always, all mistakes are mine because I'm not english (pity).

* * *

"Everything in order. Welcome, Bilbo Baggins, to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield!"

Everyone started clapping and shouting happy less Thorin and Gandalf who were staring at me, worried.

"Are you sure about this, my dear Bilbo? There would be many months away from home." Gandalf said and the rest of the company shut.

"The wild is no place for someone so small and fragile as a halfling." Dwalin said and everyone nodded agreeing with him.

Comments like "It's small and looks so soft." "What would someone so small do against a dragon?" got me angry and indignant I got up from the chair.

"I am not a simple hobbit!" All and all the whispers ended and they turned to look at me. "Yes, I am small and... softer than other races, I get it, but I can fight! I killed orcs and goblins, and none of them thought I was a great threat, but none lived to tell." I was so angry that even Gandalf had thrown slightly back. What they thought about me? I had to learn to fight and kill by force, and none of their comments would make me seem weak, I could have fought with Dwalin if that's what they wanted!

Bofur took Thorin's arm to get his attention and spoke looking at me. "I like him, can we keep him?"

I looked at him angry. If looks could kill that would have, no doubt, but before he could answer, Thorin laughed, he laughed! Aulë knows that I had missed his laugh and I could not help it, but my anger went away. Thorin smiled and nodded. "Looks like we found our little warrior and burglar."

I finally nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you." I said, and the rest returned to speak loudly laughing.

Thorin took my arm and whispered. "Can we talk alone for a moment?" And I, like a lovesick fool, I could not do anything but nod slightly. Gandalf looked at me when Thorin stood up with an eyebrow raised, but I bit my lip and follow Thorin. We stopped at the entrance to the pantry and Thorin stared at me. "Never seen a hobbit with such bravery or foolishness like you, Master Baggins." He said this with a smile on his face and I could not help but smile at him like a fool.

"Then you've never met a Took, Mister Oakenshield. The Tooks are a mixture of Fili and Kili but in one hobbit, so you have to imagine the family dinners." I leaned against the wall and I kept staring as he shook his head, still smiling.

"Mister Baggins ... as much.. fierce that are your words, and much strength you have in..." He looked down and cleared his throat. "... that small body, this journey will end in my kingdom and we will face a dragon that will hopefully be asleep or dead, but is not certain."

I nodded, I knew the dragon, like Azog, was still alive, but I had faced the great spitfire once and I could not tell Thorin... and less to say I left Erebor with only a couple of burns, scrapes and a broken heart. "Your Majesty," I said sarcastically. "With all due respect, I think I can handle it. Not that it is foolish or brave, but you need the help of a hobbit to retrieve your home, and who better than Mad Baggins to do it." I made a sarcastic bow and looked into his eyes.

Thorin, not believing what he was seeing, raised the eyebrow that always rises when he is not expecting a reply. "Okay, halfling, but on the road you will have no comfort, it would rain, be cold, there would be blizzards..."

Thorin did not finish because I raised my hand and grabbed his arm looking into his eyes. "Thorin, I can take care of myself, I will take care of myself. Like I said you it is not you who has to ensure my safety nor are you in charge of my destiny, and I really do not need someone to be helped by, I own myself."

Thorin looked at my hand on his arm but he did not pushed it away. Then he looked back at me. "Perhaps I misspoke, Master Baggins." He cleared his throat. "I will protect all members of my company, even you, but I can not do it all the time."

"I know how to fight, I do not need a babysitter dwarf king."

Thorin laughed. How much I loved his smile ... "All right, Master Baggins, I think we'll get along." He slipped from my grasp and went back to where were the others while I was still smiling. At that moment all I could think of was that we could be friends from the very beginning.

"Thorin!" I screamed and that made him turn around. "I hate being called halfling, call me Bilbo."

Thorin nodded, a small smile appearing in his corners. "Alright, Master Bilbo."

He went to talk to Balin and I went to my room. My heart beating too fast. Thorin had treated me well! I sat against the door and I started thinking, looking at my hand, about that I had dared to touch Thorin. Maybe now after seeing that I was able for more than just making rugs and I did not complain, not treated them as strangers as they were, I had not fear of Smaug (and of course I do not faint when I read the contract), and I knew how bad Thorin could get because of the Goldsickness, and everything good in him; I had been brave and that was what Thorin was looking for a burglar, and that must be why he did not treat me bad... Since Thorin seemed to want me as the rest of the group, I had only one fear, and it was losing them because of the disease...

_Far over the misty mountains cold_

I smiled when I heard Thorin singing. I got up and I managed my clothes before leaving the room to listen to the song. My eyes were focused on Thorin and his in mine while he sang. The first time, I fell in love when I heard him sing that song and it made my feelings return to emerge to the feeling again as the first time. I was still in love with him after all these years.

_To dungeons deep and caverns old,  
We must away, ere break of day  
To find our long forgotten gold._

_The pines were roaring on the height,  
The winds were moaning in the night,  
The fire was red, its flaming spread  
The trees like torches blazed with light._

When they finished singing I smiled sadly at Thorin and I promised myself that this time they would get Erebor, and that he would rule her. A whispering voice inside me said to me, _maybe you could rule with him. _

I pointed them where to sleep as I had prepared the guest rooms for them. They smiled grateful, but I realized that there were not enough beds missing at least half of beds. They decided all to sleep in couples in small beds where there used to sleep my cousins. Dori and Ori, Gloin and Oin, Bombur and Bifur, even that Bifur ended up sleeping on the floor because he fell as there was barely space next to his cousin, Bofur and Nori, Dwalin and Balin, and finally Kili and Fili, and Gandalf on his one. When everyone was in their room I went to mine, but I could not help but laugh when I saw the poor Thorin, so majestic, trying to settle into my little hobbit-sized chair. I grabbed his arm and smiled. "I think that a hobbit chair is not the best place where a king can rest."

Thorin looked at me and sat properly. "I've slept in worse places, besides, I'm not a king yet."

"But you will be." I said smiling at him. We were in an awkward silence for a few moments. "Thorin, I ... Everyone is sharing bed, even Bombur ... w-we can share my bed even if it is small."

"It's your bed." He said seriously.

"And my house." I added, nodding. "I'm not asking you to bed me or ..." Then I stopped and got red when I realized of my words. I swear he also blushed. "I-I... mean..."

Thorin smiled a little uncomfortable but nodded. "Thank you, Mister Bilbo." He stood staring at me. I was still looking flushed, and now that he was up he seemed so... big... When I finally reacted we went to my room.

"I-I'm going to put on m-my pajamas now, if, uh ... I'll be right back..." I took my pajamas from the closet and left him there. I went to the bathroom that smelled like dwarf, and I washed my face. "Focus, Bilbo. You're not a teenager!" I said to myself in the mirror. I had always wanted Thorin beside me in bed but... not when I loved him because I do loved him, and he barely knew me. I left the bathroom and Thorin had removed everything but pants and a thin blue robe that I had seen when they were imprisoned in Mirkwood. I was wearing a long white gown and underwear. Thorin was sitting on one side of the bed and I smiled a little embarrassed. "Are you staying with that side of the bed?" Thorin was looking at me up and down, looking at my feet, my bare legs, and followed up... I bit my lip and blushed a lot. When Thorin finished inspect me, he cleared his throat and looked away.

"It's his bed mist..." He coughed. "Bilbo."

"I-I usually sleep on the left side, but perhaps the bed is a bit small.."

Thorin lay down and I cursed under my breath how silly sounded my hesitation. "We'll have to squeeze." At the time I thought I could not get redder. I lie giving back, but he was so pressed against my back I could not think of anything but his crotch against my back, so I turned around, but if it had not been for his strong arms, I would have fallen out of bed. "Are you okay?" I stared at him, squeezed against his chest.

I replied sheepishly. "Y-Yes ... T-Thanks." I bit my lip to stop hesitating, then he looked at my lip and he licked his lips, but he let me immediately and lay watching me. "Maybe the bed is too small.."

"I-I ..." I tried to talk but he kept looking at me and I could not.

"Tomorrow we will get up early, Bilbo, no matter how you put it, and it will take tim for us to return to a bed so enjoy it." He closed his eyes and I settled facing him. He was perfect. I loved him and I had never been so close to him. Definitely I was 130 years old and I looked like a teenager. "If you keep looking at me I will not be able to sleep." Thorin said without opening his eyes and I turned to blush.

"I-I'm sorry ..." Thorin smiled and opened his eyes.

"Rest, Bilbo, tomorrow will be a tough day." And I nodded closing my eyes. During the night I felt like big arms were around me. I have never before had felt so secure.


	6. The road begins

Thank you all for your favs and comments!  
The sentences in Khuzdul are in Bold Italic.  
My headcanon of The Hobbit is Bilbo sings a lot and has many nightmares, so during the fic I will put many of the songs that appeared in The Hobbit and LOTR, both in books and in the movies. If you have any requests leave me a comment.  
The song of this chapter is Ed Sheeran - Kiss Me, I found it very suitable for this chapter. I changed a few words to be adequate.  
watch?v=kFfKb_WEkCE  
I hope you like the chapter: D

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During the night I felt like big arms were around me. I never before had felt so secure.

I felt those big arms when I was waking up. I was slowly opening my eyes and the first thing I saw was Thorin's sleeping face before me. He seemed peaceful and gentle... He was surrounding me with his arms and I also was surrounding him, curled against his chest. I do not know how long I was watching him breathe without moving. 80 years ago I would have never dared to approach so close to him...

When the first light came in and lit the room, Thorin began to wake up. I did not know what to say so I pretended to be asleep before he opened his eyes. A few minutes later I noticed as his hands roamed my hair gently. I let out a little moan at the touch and then he stopped touching me. "Shit" I thought to my self when those arms stopped surrounding me, but I was still leaning against his chest and and my arms were still around his waist. Slowly I opened my eyes and smiled a little embarrassed. "G'morning" I said sleepily and he smiled.

"Good morning, Bilbo." Thorin said looking into my eyes. I closed my eyes and I snuggled against him. I felt as Thorin did not know what to do, but I had been wanted to be as close as then to him for so long... "I did not know hobbits were cuddles." Thorin said whispering, really tense.

I let out a sigh and I let him. I looked up at him and I was a little flushed. "Hobbits we like physical contact with family, friends, and others..."

Thorin again raised an eyebrow which I had already named it The Questioning Eyebrow and sat on the bed, stretching. "And do you have as you call others waiting for you to snuggle with you, Master Baggins?" His tone was neutral, but I could see a glimpse of something more that I did not recognize then.

"N-No... I have no one." I looked away and got up from the bed. "It's been a long time since I cuddled with someone, sorry if I had upset you, Your Highness." And with that I went to the kitchen leaving Thorin sitting in my bed. I missed having little Frodo in my arms and tell him stories about dragons and dwarves' kingdoms, many years had passed without hugging Frodo in my bed but the night before my.. Set off? Death?, Frodo that night and I curled up in my bed and we told stories until we fell asleep. I took the little food that was left for breakfast and I heard someone approaching.

"Sorry..." Thorin said without me turning. "I just ... I did not expect that level of intimacy. For dwarves it is a very intimate thing, but I see now that hobbits have others habits and I'm sorry I reacted bad to it, I did not know. "

I turned, I smiled and shook my head. Thorin was already dressed while I was still in my pajamas "I'm sorry too, I should no had cuddle you, dwarves... to you is not something as normal as for hobbits..." And actually the hobbits never huddle with someone like that in bed, but seeing Thorin like that and the fact he did not know my customs I could lie a little.

Thorin nodded and told me uncomfortable. "I'll see how the ponies are. We'll leave as soon as we eat breakfast. "

"Would you let me write a few things? Just in case..."

Thorin crossed his arms. "Sure... if you need anything let me know." He went off the kitchen and I smiled. Maybe this time we could become more than friends whispered my mind, still not altered by the ring, but I threw away those thoughts out of my mind and I concentrated on breakfast. I started cooking with my back to the door while I sang a song of many that I wrote after arriving from Erebor, which I was now improving. I did not realize that the Company had awakened and they were arriving one by one to the kitchen to hear me, including Gandalf and Thorin. I'm still thinking about it and I do not get how is that I did not heard them.

Settle down with me

Cover me up

Cuddle me in

Lie down with me

And hold me in your arms

And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck

I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet

And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now

Kiss me like you wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

This feels like falling in love

Falling in love

I'm falling in love

Settle down with me

And I'll be your safety

You'll be my mate

I was made to keep your body warm

But I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms

Oh no

My heart's against your chest, your lips pressed to my neck

I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet

And with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now

Kiss me like you wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

This feels like falling in love

Falling in love

I'm falling in love

Yeah

I've been feeling everything

From hate to love

From love to lust

From lust to truth

I guess that's how I know you

So I hold you close to help you give it up

So kiss me like you wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

This feels like falling in love

Falling in love

I'm falling in love

Kiss me like you wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

You wanna be loved

This feels like falling in love

Falling in love

I have fallen in love

I smiled to myself as I turned to go to my study to write the song, and I almost had a heart attack when I saw that they all were there watching me. "I-I..." I blushed but Bofur cheered and the rest did it too, which made me blush more.

"What a beautiful song Mister Bilbo." Balin said while the rest began to take the food I had prepared. "Is it for someone in particular?"

I nodded but I did not look up to look at Thorin sp I kept looking down. "Is about that dwarf you spoke of?" Bofur said as his mouth was full of sandwich.

"Something like that..." I mumbled and went to my studio to write the song and pick what I wanted to take to the trip. I realized that there was no recorded songs in my old notebook, now almost new, and I decided that I would write them on the journey to Erebor. I also began to write my will, leaving everything to my cousin Drogo, future father of Frodo. I also wrote a letter to the Thain, my grandfather, explaining the trip, saying that if I did not return to the Shire or if they did not knew of me in less than two years, my will would be valid and they could assume me dead. When I returned to the kitchen still in my pajamas and with the cards in my hand I witness again as my dwarves were flying food from side to side of the table while Gandalf laughed. "Hey!" I screamed and all got into the position they were in, some very comical as Kili standing with his hand full of food and his face full of cream. "I will not tolerate any of this food go to waste, so all... this cease, you will behave like you are not children and you will eat!" Whispers were heard like "Yes, mister Bilbo." and "Sorry, mister Bilbo."

I looked at Thorin who was smiling to the Company and then to me. When I approached him he whispered. "It's amazing how they tame you ... I raised Fili and Kili and they have never done that."

I laughed and grabbed a piece of pie from his plate. "I raised all my cousins and many of my second cousins, which makes me now know how to controle them."

Thorin wrinkled his nose when I stole his pie. "Burglar, what you must steal is in the mountain, not on my plate."

I laughed and I almost choked. "I'm a burglar, it is my duty to steal things." I stole another piece of pie and I left smiling before he could complain. I approached to Balin who was talking to Dwalin.

I waited for them to stop talking when I heard Kili whisper to his uncle. "Thorin, how was the night in Bilbo's bed, was it nice? I see he still can walk straight." I coughed and almost choke. I heard the little one of the line of Durin laugh as Thorin gave him in the head.

Thorin then spoke in Khuzdul, language I had learned in Aman as Sindarin and the Dark language of Mordor.**_ "Kili, you do not ever say such a thing again. Go and prepare the ponies. Now."_**

I saw Kili go out from the kitchen and I turned to look at Balin who had already finished speaking to his brother who was now speaking with Ori. "Balin ... You could be my witnesses in my will?"

Balin smiled a little, "Sure, kid." He took my will and began to read it. "You do not plan to go back?" He said after reading it and I felt like Thorin's eyes looked at me.

"Prevention is always better than to cure..." I said with a small smile and Balin signed as a witness. "Thank you." I said and went to my room to change my self. I had already removed my shirt when I heard the door open. I turned and it was Thorin. "Thorin? To what do I owe the honor?"

Thorin looked at my body and then looked down. "Just wanted to say that we are ready to go, and... well, I'm sure you will return to the Shire someday." He cleared his throat.

"Thank You. Really. "I said with a smile and he looked at me for a couple of seconds until he excused himself and left.

I finished getting dressed and packed up everything for the trip, including my handkerchief embroidered with the initials BB. I left my home with the letters in my hand and I turned to look at Bag End for the last time. If I could get all dwarves live and defeat Sauron, I was not going back to the Shire, and if I did not I could not return anyway.

Fili and Kili rested on my shoulders while they also looked at Bag End. "We'll protect you so you can return to your home, Bilbo." Said Kili smiling.

"Yes, we and Thorin will not let anything happen to you." Added Fili and I smiled saddly but nodded.

"I also will protect you, I can assure it to you." I replied, and the three follow the rest of dwarves to where the ponies were. First I let the letters in my grandfather's house and hugged him before I left. I also went to see Hamfast which also I said goodbye. There were tears in my eyes when we got up into the ponies, and I still do not know if they were by sadness or fear.

Gandalf stroked my hair. "Do not worry Bilbo, one day you will see your home again."

And I nodded looking at Fili and Kili goofing and Thorin scolding them. Thorin looked back and he looked at me in the eyes. I answered Gandalf looking at Thorin. "Home is where the heart is."

Gandalf looked at me and he looked at Thorin who had stopped looking at me, then Gandalf whispered. "Or with who has your heart."

At that finally sentence I could only smile. Erebor, Asgaroth, Rivendell, Mirkwood, Mordor, Aman... wherever Thorin would go I would go. He was my friend, my home, my heart, and has been always the only one oh who I had suffer the journey of a thousand miles to Erebor.

Bofur, Nori and Ori were the first who began to talk to me about animated stories and embarrassments. Thanks to them I forgot we had already left the Shire, and now there was no turning back.


	7. A minor set back

Warning fluff and lots angst.  
The song that Bilbo sings is the song that Pippin sings in LOTR. The song is Edge of night.  
watch?v=hyh9Egl3aPk&amp;feature=  
Comments in **_Khuzdul_**

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I forgot about that we had already left the Shire, and now there was no turning back.

It was late May and it was quite cold. Now that I was not complaining about everything everyone talked me about nonsense or the weather. I only smiled at them and make little comments but I rarely made major interventions because I loved hearing the stories of my dwarves, and I almost knew all of them, but some I did not and they made me smiled more. Fili and Kili told me stories of different pranks they did to their mother with the help of their uncle and how she caught them and gave them a good scolding. I would have paid to see younger Thorin running half naked with little Fili and little Kili after having dyed their mother's dress pink! The three of them were painted pink when they did it so they had to get off their clothes and run before Dis could see them. At the end of the story Fili, Kili and myself were laughing really loud while we were watching Thorin who was at the front of the line and seemed to be flushed. After two very, very, embarrassing stories about Thorin, Thorin turned and shouted to his nephews to be quiet. The only effect it had on the Company was that we all started laughing out loud, even Balin and Gandalf!

_ **"Damn these kids..."** _ murmured Thorin in khuzdul high enough for us to hear him.

_ **"Thorin, I think Bilbo likes you, he's all day watching you."** _ Kili said approaching him, and I blushed but I said nothing. I could not tell them that I knew khuzdul.

_ **"Did you not hear what he said at his house, Kili? He is in love with another dwarf." ** _Interrupted Balin while he approached the group. I tried to get a little closer petting Myrtel as if I was distracted.

_ **"But the dwarf had not died? Anyway, Uncle has more possibilities and BIlbo has time to fall in love with him!"** _

Thorin grunted and raised his finger to Kili. _ **"Leave the subject, Kili. I will not woo the halfling, I am King and as a King I have a duty to my people, I can not think of soft and gentle creatures..." ** _ Kili laughed and Thorin cursed softly. _ **"You know what I mean."** _

Then Kili went to my direction while I tried not to look at Thorin because I was blushing. Kili winked at me and walked beside his brother.

What happened after I was not expecting it.

It was late and the last time we were in that road we weren't in those positions when it started to rain, I was between Ori, Bofur and Gandalf in a small road so now that I remember it I do not wonder why that happened. Gandalf was explaining to us the existence of Radagast and other magicians when Ori's pony and mine slid off the road because of the mud. Immediately Thorin, Dwalin and Ori's brothers dismounted thair ponys and went to rescue us. Myrtel seemed to be fine but she had dropped me and I knew I had a sprained wrist while Ori's horse bolted and threw Ori making him fall onto his ankle...

"Are you well?" Asked Thorin as he picked me up into his arms.

"Yup! Let me go, I can walk!" I said as Thorin pressed me against his chest.

"Nonsense, Master Baggins." Replied Thorin as I watched Dwalin taking Ori in his arms. I could hardly move and Ori was as blushed as I was. Meanwhile Dori and Nori caught our horses.

"It was my fault... We shouldn't have gone together on the path as narrow and wet as it was." I apologized as I watched how the water got through Thorin's hair who had me against his chest to keep me off the rain.

"Another silly nonsense, Master Baggins." Thorin said with a small smile and I buffet, I was old enough and I did not need anyone to take me in to their arms! But the truth is that it felt really good being there...

We approached to a tree where Oin examined us and I confirmed my suspicions. "They can not ride alone in a couple of days at least, Thorin."

Gandalf came to me and stroked my wet hair as he smiled slightly. "Maybe you'd better let us pass by Bree and we can stay there a couple of days, after all, we can pick up some supplies."

I frowned when I heard the words of Gandalf and I saw Thorin nod. That was not planned and it could change some events that I had lived.

"Thorin." I stood up and approached to him pushing him away from the others. "Ori can ride with Dwalin, and I'm good enough so I can ride, Myrtel is a good pony."

Thorin shook his head. "We will stay in Bree until the rain stops, and you will ride with me, I do not want other unforeseen happen again." I opened my mouth to complain but Thorin shouted to the others. _ **"We're leaving! Dwalin, ride with Ori, I'll ride with Bilbo. Nori and Dori get the ponies, make sure they do not fall again." ** _Thorin grabbed my waist and he got me up to his pony. I shouted him that I was fine but he ignored me and sat behind me taking the reins.

"Stubborn dwarves..." I whispered and looked at Ori who was completely red againsy Dwalin.

We ride 50 miles until we got to Bree. All I had done throughout the trip were try not to think about the pain in my wrist and the feeling of the dwarf who I loved pressed behind me and not to move against him but it was what we were doing with every step of the pony. Not on purpose, of course... Fili and Kili knew I was red and they laughed all the way to Bree and even Bofur made a remark to Ori and me.

"You two must have a fever caused by the trauma, that must be why you are so red!"

I growled softly and I felt as Thorin approached my ear and whispered. "Do not worry about their comments, they are just jealous." I laughed for the first time since the incident and noticed how Thorin was smiling as well.

We stayed at a small inn where we arrived later that night. We decided to share rooms. Bofur, Bombur, Bifur, Nori, Gandalf, Dori, and Gloin in one, and Thorin, Kili, Fili, Dwalin, Balin, Ori, Oin and myself in another room. Ori's brothers complained about the distribution, but Ori and me where together so Oin would be closer if we needed anything. Fili and Kili forced us to stay in bed while they went after our meal which made the whole company dine in our room. They told stories about Durin I and their great battles. Durin I reminded me of Thorin and the truth is that every time I looked at him he had a twinkle in his eye that made me smile. Balin explained that Thror used to tell the stories of Durin I before his madness and before Smaug came to Erebor and Thorin smiled sadly. Fili and Kili had gone a little before that story, and they arrived with something behind their backs.

"Uncle, look what we found!" Shouted Kili and took the blanket off of what they were carrying on their backs. It was a wooden harp. I looked blankly at it and Thorin growled.

"I haven't played it for many years now."

I raised an eyebrow. That's not what I expected. "Do you play the harp, Thorin?"

Thorin slowly nodded without looking at me, his eyes fixed on the harp. "But long ago was the last time I'd practiced it."

Fili and Kili sat in bed with me and looked at me with that face that Frodo and Pippin used to look at me when they wanted something. I cleared my throat and I looked back at Thorin. "I... I would like to hear you..."

Thorin stared at me. "I... seriously?"

I nodded and made myself comfortable until Bofur sat on my bed too. The bed was of a size of a human bed but too many people in it was uncomfortable. "Please?" I said, and Thorin kept staring at me until he stood up and began to inspect the harp. He played a soft melody that reminded me of home, Frodo, my Thorin and Erebor. When he finished I smiled slightly, the other dwarves and Gandalf were lying against each other or against the wall. "It was beautiful. Thank you, Thorin."

Thorin smiled under his head. "Thank you, Bilbo..."

We all fell into silent and I watched Balin's eyes filled with tears for a while until Thorin gave him a hug and whispered. "_ **W** _ _ **e will take back** _ _ ** Erebor, I promise."** _ I nodded and except for Gandalf no one noticed I had understood him.

Bofur after a long and comfortable silence looked at me and said. "Bilbo, would you sing for us something like what you sang in Bag End? Some of the songs you've been writing."

I smiled. It was true that while they talked to me on the road I started to write different songs I had composed in my other life. "Bofur, I think it's time to go to bed now. I won't sing because I will not break your eardrums!"

Everyone laughed but started shouting "Come on!" and "Bilbo! Bilbo!" Then Thorin sitting away from me but right in front said. "Come on, Bilbo, you have had me playing the harp, it's your turn."

I sighed, it seemed logical. "Okay, but I'm not very good at writing songs and definitely I do not sing very well. If you are deaf tomorrow do not steal Oin's trumpet." The Company laughed and settled back in the middle of the room or over the beds watching me, Thorin in front of me. "This song is called Edge of Night." And I started singing the song I used to sing to Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry when they were little.

Home is behind

The world ahead

And there are many paths to tread

Through shadow

To the edge of night

Until the stars are all alight

Mist and shadow

Cloud and shade

All shall fade

All shall

Fade

Everyone in the company had fallen silent, only the sound of the fire was heard on one side of the room. Thorin was no longer staring at me, he was looking at the fire as if he was very far away.

Ori whispering broke the silence that absorbed us. "What is this song about if I may ask, Bilbo?"

"It's a song about the roads that go ever on until they return you to your last familiar place you'd have always known" Ori nodded and leaned back a little, resting his head on Dwalin's shoulder who was sitting on his bed.

"It's about the trip you did with the other dwarves?" Whispered sleepily Kili in his brother's arms.

"I...I..." I cleared my throat and nodded without looking at him and this time the silence became uncomfortable. When I raised my eyes Thorin was staring at me. "I can tell you what happened... if you want to..." Since I had invented a story that was a half truth.

"You do not have to." Said almost all the dwarves at a time and I laughed a little.

"No, I think it is your right." I sat a little better in the bed and when I saw that everyone looked at me interested I started. "As I told you, I found the lost Dwarf family when they were passing through the Shire. They came from the Iron Hills. Theon, Freyon, Kion, Narvi, Loni, and Frár... Theon, Narvi, Loni, and Frár were cousins, and Kion and Freyon were the children of Theon. We walked together for months, telling stories about how wonderful was their home..." I smiled slightly and looked at my fingers. "Their house... was taken from them before Freyon and Kion were born. I never knew exactly why, Theon just told me that there was a great battle for the gold of his family and that I should not worry because once we got there we would be safe." I laughed reluctantly remembering those words spoken by Thorin before reaching the mountain. "The thing is... that they soon adopted me as if they were my family. My parents had died long ago and I just had my cousins, but those dwarves were more than family to me. For me they were hope for getting me off the feeling of being surrounded by people and still continue to feel alone." Then I looked and smiled sadly to Thorin while he kept looking at me seriously. I looked down at my hands. "I still do not believe that we were a family in so little time, but we were... Even for me it makes me feel weird now, but... well..." I cleared my throat, not knowing if I could tell them about that I knew Khuzdul.

"Well... what?" Asked Bofur who had moved from my bed to the next bed, Nori at his side.

"You know," I said looking at Thorin who had sat on the edge of my bed, and I ended the story getting my head back down. "He was like you. A leader who cared about his family, who even cared about_ me_. He was the one who convinced me during the trip to stay with them once we got there, with him. I loved him and it made little difference to me thet they taught me how to fight or their culture, I was happy... I was happy and I thought I could stay with them and live as a family although I was a hobbit. I saved him once from an attack of orcs and since then I knew he cared about me, and he did not care that I was a simple hobbit. Until we got to their home and a disease, like the one your grandfather had, corrupted him. He was not himself. He was mistreating their sons and brothers, he nly cared about his gold while I tried to get him back. It took him too long to get back to being the dwarf I fell in love with. The house was at the end of one of the largest mountains I have ever seen and there was a human market near that supplied the whole area. We did not had enough food and I could not get us die of hunger. I gave all my food to Theon's children and he hardly ate or rested, he only cared about his gold. The night I saw we would die if we continued like that I stole some gold from Theon to buy some food. I knew that betraying the person I loved the most would hurt, but I could not did another thing. When I returned, Theon got crazy and grabbed me so hard that I still have nightmares of that day. He said I had betrayed him, that I was a dirty rat from the Shire and... If it were not for some elves, who were patrolling nearby the house, I know that he would have killed me. The love of my life would have killed me for something material that was not worth half of the worth of a smile from Kion or Freyon. The elves and humans decided they would accompany me to the Shire a little after I regained from some wounds that had caused me Theon, but I could not leave them there knowing that Theon was prisoner of the disease. I could not leave Kion or Freyon in his hands knowing that they could die for lack of food at any time, so I decided to return to their home. When I was returning I heard horns sounding and drums, and then the men who had saved me running towards the house. I noticed that the old market had been completely burned. I think I have not run as much in my life like as then. When I arrived there was a group of orcs in the house. I heard screams and I ran everything I could but it was too late... I watched as the leader of the orcs killed Freyon in front of Theon and me. Theon chased him and I tried to recover myself and search for Kion but one of the orcs knocked me. The next thing I remember is Kion lifeless and Theon lying on the ground. I ran after him but he had a deep wound that the orc had made him after he had killed Freyon. He begged me to forgive him, and there was no longer gray in his blue eyes, now free from the disease. He said he wanted to leave in pace with me, that I will have to return to my books and plant my trees for him. I hugged him and told him to stay with me but... but he died in my arms. The only person I have ever loved died in my arms begging me to forgive him. I kissed his cold lips for the first and last time that day. All my family had died there that day and all that I have of them are the memories of our trip and broken promises." I looked at Thorin and I realized that I must have been crying. "I should have died that day with my family and I'm sure that at least my heart did." Thorin stepped back and I saw that his eyes were a little red restricting the passage of tears.

"I'm so sorry, Bilbo." I shook my head and looked at the rest of the Company. Kili was trying not to mourn against his brother's shoulder, and Ori was sobbing against Dwalin who had Ori against his chest. Most of them were not looking at me as they were trying to process what they had heard.

"Promise me that you will not die, any of you, please, I do not think I can go through that again." I began to cry covering my face with my hands. I felt like someone was hugging me and I was against a chest. It was Thorin. It was some time after I stopped mourning when all the dwarves went to their different rooms. I fell asleep against Thorin's chest, tears still running down my cheek hoping I would never have to see Thorin lifeless face in my arms ever again.

* * *

Narvi, Lóni, y Frár were dwarves named in TLOTR and they died in Moria.  
Thank you so much for all the favs and comments, I love you all! :D


	8. Dreams and nightmares

A little bit of Angst but some fluff too. Also, I added a comment which Frodo said at the end of LOTR The Return Of The King that I love!  
**_Khuzdul_**  
**Sindarin**

* * *

I fell asleep against Thorin's chest, tears still running down my cheek hoping I would never have to see Thorin lifeless face in my arms again.

* * *

_"You."  
I feel Thorin's hands grabbing my neck.  
"You stole from me?"  
He gets me up by the neck and puts me against the wall. It hurts. I can not breathe.  
"Miserable rat."  
His eyes are gray. These are not the blue eyes I fell in love with.  
"You had never have been my family!"  
I try to free myself but he is too strong.  
_"Bilbo"  
_I try to shout at him to forgive me, that I love him, that he is my family, that I owe him everything... No words come out of my sore throat. I can not speak._  
_ "You've never had my loyalty!"_  
_ I feel as I'm hanging up out of the gate of Erebor, fire under my feet._  
"Bilbo!"  
_"You've never had my heart."_  
_ The last thing I see are his eyes as I fall out of the gate and fire absorbs me._

* * *

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw were blue eyes staring at me. I panicked when I recognized those blue eyes and felt as Thorin had me against his chest. I moved trying to free myself and I try to scream but he did not let me go.  
"Bilbo. Bilbo... It's been a dream, Bilbo." I kept moving in his arms until I remembered what had happened. He was not the same Thorin who I had dreamed about, this Thorin cared for me, this Thorin... has not been betrayed by me, this Thorin had not yet passed his sickness, not yet...

I hugged him and I started to apologize, whispering. "I-I'm sorry, l-I'm sorry..." I repeated over and over again. Thorin stroked my hair and said nothing until I calmed down.

"I tried to wake you when you started to scream and moved against me, but the nightmare would not let you go."

I bit my lip and I push myself away from him. "Were you sleeping in my bed?" I stared at him and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Last night I could not move you away from me after what you had told us, so yes, I stayed with you."

I remembered then how the other night I had told them my story-lie (not that far away from reality anyway). I looked down again and I hugged my legs trying to calm down after all that happened. "S-Sorry about that... it happened a long time ago, and I believed I could talk about it but..." Thorin put his hand on my arm and I looked at him, he tried to smile but he looked sad.

"I also have nightmares, I understand." I nodded and I looked around the room, it was empty except for us. I must have been staring at nowhere for a very good while because I noticed as Thorin squeezed gently my arm to get my attention but I hissed in pain. "Still hurts?" Thorin moved closer and he inspected my arm and my wrist. I noticed then that he seemed to have dark circles down his eyes.

"Yes... but not as much as it did yesterday." Thorin nodded and he separated from me, getting up to stretch. "What time is it?"

Thorin went to the window and pulled off the curtains. "It seems a little before breakfast time." He turned to stretch again and I stood there watching at his back. When he turned around I looked away, blushing.

"And... what about the others? Is not too early to go on the road now"

Thorin coughed and avoid the question. "I think you're ready to ride the pony, but we will wait another day for you if you need it... and for Ori." He cough againg.

"No, I'm fine, and I'm sure I can ride, but maybe Ori would need Dwalin's help." Thorin smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"You also have noticed it?" I started to laugh.

"Of course! They've been looking at each other all the time and whenever Ori needed something, Dwalin help him right away." Thorin nodded and headed for the door.

"I do not think Dwalin knows that Ori likes him too, he is too blind." He said before he winked at me and left the room.

"He's not the only one blind here..." I whispered before leaving the room and go to the room where the others were.

When they saw me they all stopped talking. Ori was between Oin, who was looking at me and Dwalin, who was looking at the scribe's ankle while the rest were handing the breakfast they had requested. Thorin was sitting beside Gandalf, probably talking about what they would do next. When I approached to the table, Bofur put his arm around my shoulders. "Are you alright, Bilbo?" He asked, and I smiled.

"Yeah, sorry about yesterday..."

Bofur shook his head and Balin also approached. "Do not ask for forgiveness laddie." He grabbed my good arm. "You've been through bad times, like all those who are present here. We will not think less of you because you'd cried 'cause here we all had cried once or twice at the loss of someone we loved." I saw almost all the dwarves nodded slightly, and then Balin approached me at the table right beside Oin. "Cousin, can you see how is Bilbo when you're done with young Ori?"

Ori looked over Oin's shoulder and smiled at me as Oin turned to look at my wrist.

"I am truly sorry that you had to go through that, Bilbo..."

"Thank you, Ori." I replied, and my mind said _ "I hope we would never have to get through it again." _

After Oin said that my wrist was fine saying that nothing was broken and bandaged me, I had breakfast. The atmosphere seemed a little more relaxed, Kili and Fili tried to throw food at each other but Thorin shout at them, which made everyone laugh. When the brothers got tired of mischief and had eaten they looked at me and whispered at each other, as Merry and Pippin when they were young and they wanted me to tell them the story of my journey with 13 dwarves.

"Fili, Kili, if you want to ask me something you can do it, really."

The two brothers looked at each other. At the end Fili was the one who spoke first. "We were wondering how it is that you fell in love with this dwarf, Threon was his name?"

I bit my lip and looked at my hands. "Theon. And I do not know how I fell for him, I guess he was a good dwarf and that he treated me like I was family. But I never told him that I loved him, I did not have the time." I smiled saddly and the two brothers looked at each other again. The table was silent when Kili looked at me again.

"Then why did you come with us? Would it not have been better to stay at the quiet of Bag End, no ambushes of orcs and dwarves that remind you of him?"

I nodded and stared at him. "Kili, after everything I went through, how do you think I could go with a quiet life? With all that I lost... I ask you, Kili, how do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on... when in your heart you begin to understand... there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend... some hurts that go too deep... that have taken hold..." Kili stopped looking at me and looked at his hands.

"Sorry, Bilbo..."

I shook my head and I felt Bofur and Ori hugging me. "Do not worry, I'm fine! You are not the first one who has asked me these questions." However, Bofur and Ori did not release me. Kili and Fili also joined the hug, then the embrace of the four of them was already crushing me and I could not breathe. "Come on, come on! You're going to do smashed hobbit if you keep doing that!" Everyone laughed and they let me go, Bofur gave me a kiss on the head. I turned to look at Gandalf and Thorin who were talking looking at me and I raised an eyebrow when they turned, as if I was been deducted. I looked at Bofur who shrugged and we continued talking. Bifur, for the first in what we had been on the road started to talk to me in Khuzdul, and Bofur translated me his stories, but I knew what he was saying because when Lord Elrond taught me Khuzdul, his accent was similar to Bifur's, but of course, I could not tell him that. Bifur told me he was doing a wooden toy which last time he gave to Gimli after I left Erebor, and Gimli wore it during the War of the Ring. Just after Dawn we proceeded to collect our things and I noticed that Gandalf and Thorin did not stop talking to each other, softly, as if they did not want anyone to hear them. I approached them and noticed how they tense a little.

"It's something wrong?" I asked worried.

"No, master Baggins." Thorin answered while Gandalf walked away. "Just some paranoias of an old wizard." Thorin smiled and left as I watched Gandalf leave as well. I was sure that Gandalf knew something was wrong with me. I went to Gandalf once we went outside the inn.

"Gandalf... can we talk for a minute?" Gandalf nodded and got to the side of the inn. "I know you think something is going on, and you're right, but for now you have to trust me. I thought about it a lot, and I think I'd better tell you, Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel what is happening, but I'll do it when we get to Rivendell, please trust me on this."

Gandalf stared at me without knowing what to say, but soon nodded. "I trust you, Bilbo Baggins, I do not know why, because all my senses tell me not to, but I do."

I sighed in relief. "Thank You. Once we get to Rivendell I'll tell you everything, but the only condition is that none of the dwarves can know about it."

Before Gandalf could say anything Thorin called us to get on our ponies, so Gandalf just nodded slightly and went for his horse.

We started the trip again each in their pony except for Ori who still rode with his back against Dwalin because his ankle would take a little longer to heal. All they looked pretty tired, so I approached Fili and Kili and I asked them if they had been awakened by my nightmare.

"Well... we were woke up, but..." Kili looked at his brother, and Fili continued.

"Gandalf had worst nightmares than you since we arrived at Bag End, and some of us had strange dreams about you."  
"What kind of dreams?"

The brothers looked at each other and I saw Thorin who had approached and addressed his nephews. **"I told you not to talk about this issue with the halfling."** Thorin said and I could not help the shiver that chilled my blood.

"Thorin? What's wrong? "I asked staring at him, and he shook his head.

"Nothing to worry about, Master Baggins."

I let out a nervous laugh and stopped the pony, making the rest of the Company also stop. "Thorin Oakenshield, what's happening?"

I looked at each dwarf and Thorin looked at Gandalf who nodded weakly. Then Thorin and Gandalf stared at me and Gandalf replied. "I had dreamed about things that have not happened but I feel that I have lived them. I have seen death and war when they have not happened yet. I have dreamed about this trip and I have dreamed about you, Bilbo."

"What have you dreamed about exactly?" I asked serious.

"Erebor and Mordor."

My blood froze. **"So, you know about it?" **I asked him in Sindarin as he raised an eyebrow.

"**I do know nothing and that it's what worries me, Bilbo, it worries me that you know more than a Protector of Middle Earth."**

I sighed in relief and stroked Myrtel's crin. **"We will discuss this in Rivendell, do not fear, Mithrandir."** I smiled slightly and I looked to Thorin. "Do you trust me?" I asked him staring into his deep blue eyes.

He sighed but he did not leave my eyes. "We have just met but I feel like we have known each other for a long time, I feel I could die for you, and I do not like it. I dreamed about you the night before we met, how could I dream about you if we did not know each other?" He said very seriously and the members of the Company looked at each other.

"Thorin... in Bag End was the first time we had met, I assure you." I smiled slightly and we continued on our way. Neither this time I had lie, it was true that we had first met in Bag End, but in another lifetime.

We remain silent until we reached a mountain where we set up our camp. It was the same place as the time before so once we were all ready to sleep, I sat near Fili and Kili. Shortly after talking a bit about their mother, I heard what once before almost made me faint (for second time). Orcs.

"Orcs!" Kili said approaching to his brother and me. His uncle took a singular jump against the stone on which he was leaning.

"Yes, I do not want to get close to them ever again.." I said sighing and looking at my hands. I knew it was the horde of orcs that followed Azog, and that made me shiver.

"Are you really that afraid of orcs, Bilbo?" Joked Kili but nobody laughed as Thorin's eyes seemed to assassinate him with a look.

"You think it's funny, Kili?"

"N-No, Thorin, just ..."

"You know nothing of this world or what is out there." I bit my lip and felt how Thorin aproched us and put me against his chest so I could stop shaking. I looked at his eyes but they were looking at the fire, lost in his thoughts. Shortly after, Balin walked over and put a hand over Kili's shoulder.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs." I looked at Thorin again and I wanted to stroke his hair but I did not do it, I knew we did not have that level of... friendship?, security?, let's call it relationship... But I put a hand on his arm, feeling throughout the story Balin was telling how tense he got and how, eventually, completely unstrung.

"What happened to the pale orc?" Asked Ori sitting against a rock, his bad leg in Dwalin's lap.

Before Balin answer I thought I had to warn them that the pale orc was still alive and I had only one option, so I let my fear consume me and I began to tremble.

"Bilbo?" The Company had risen after Balin's story and now they were all looking at me. I looked into Thorin's eyes and I grabbed his hand with my healthy one.

"T-The Pale Orc... had a scar across one side of his face?"

Thorin tightened more and looked at me strangely. "Yes... how do you know...?"

I bit my lip more and some blood came off of it. I looked down. "That was the orc who killed Theon and Freyon."

Thorin released me and looked at me as if he had seen a ghost. "It can not be." He simply said, and I remembered the first time I saw Azog and how Thorin's face was full of terror unaware of him being alive.

"He had no arm, but a sword instead. W-With that sword he killed them." I began to tremble again and I saw how Thorin left the camp. I did not follow him because I knew he would want to be alone. Both Dwalin and Balin, who had fought in the Battle of Azanulbizar, were pale. Balin approached me.

"Are you sure about him, laddie?" I nodded.

"I-I do not think there's another orc as you've described Balin. I-I'm sure. "

Eventually the Company returned to their sleeping bags, except Thorin who did not return to camp until dawn. I lay near the fire and Fili and Kili shortly after huddled against me as if they were protecting me, or as if they wanted me to protect them. None of the Company was able to sleep that night at the sound of orcs made it more difficult.

* * *

Well, Thorin was not sent back to the past as many of you were thinking, but he is having some dreams that maybe they will make him remember hehehehe. There is just a little for you to know who is the one who has been sent back with Bilbo!  
Thank you so much for all those comments and favs! 3


	9. Confessions, clarifications and jealousy

Warning: Kili is a cockblock! I'm so sorry, Balin, I do love you, really .And jealousy comes to sight!

* * *

Thorin did not return to camp until dawn and none of the Company was able to sleep that night at the sound of orcs far more than a few minutes.

When I woke up I noticed the absence of Fili and Kili beside me, but I was not cold, which surprised me. I opened my eyes and I saw that the company was rolling their bunks and it smelled of freshly cooked food. To my surprise, I had no nightmares that night, but I dreamed that I came to Erebor with Frodo, and Thorin smiled at us. Then I noticed that the thing which had protected me from the cold was a coat that covered me whole. It smelled of Thorin. Then my mind said_ "Where's Thorin?"_. The night before I had told them that Azog was still alive and Thorin had left, so I looked around until I came across a pair of blue eyes staring at me from across the camp. Thorin was talking to Dwalin, who seemed worried, but Thorin was only looking at me. I got up putting his coat on my shoulders, trying not to let it stain and I went to where he was. Once I was a few feet from him, Dwalin turned to see what Thorin was looking. I swear I saw him smile out when he looked down at me, and he noticed the coat over my shoulders.

"I'll help with breakfast." Dwalin said rising and winking at me. I could not help but laugh and watch him walked away. Dwalin had been a good friend last time, and I hoped this would be too. Then I heard as someone coughed and I looked at Thorin, blushing a little.

"T-Thanks for the coat... it is very warm." I said smiling at him and sitting beside him.

"No need to thank me, Bilbo. When I returned to camp you where cold, so I did what any dwarf would have done. "

I bit my lip and stared at him. "I know it's a stupid question, but... are you okay?"

Thorin shook his head slightly and sighed. "Deep inside of me I knew he was not dead... I hoped I was wrong." We were looking at the ground respectively, lost in a strangely comfortable silence. "Have you had a nightmare today?" Asked Thorin looking up and I looked into his eyes and smiled slightly.

"No, I have not had any. I slept like a baby." Thorin smiled and I put a hand on his arm. "Have you slept at all?" Thorin just shook his head slightly. "You should get some sleep before leaving.." Thorin put his hand on mine and stared at me.

"I'm fine, Master Baggins, you need not worry about me."

I raised an eyebrow still looking at him not putting my hand away. "I care a lot about you, Thorin." Then I whispered, looking down. "More than what you think..."

Before he could say anything else, I felt as Thorin gently lifted my chin and made me look at him. When I saw his lips parted to speak, I hear a cough and he let me go quickly. "Bombur has already made breakfast." Kili said half laughing and Thorin stood up. I was completely flushed as I followeed them both into the campfire.

"Thorin, here, take your coat." I said smiling at him and almost qtaking it off before arriving to the campfire, but Thorin stopped gently, grabbing my wrist.

"Keep it up until when we'll raise the camp." Then I only smiled faintly and he went off to where Balin was to eat breakfast.

I sat next to Ori and Bofur who smiled playfully me.

"Are you warm, Bilbo?" IOri asked trying not to laugh.

I gave him a little punch in the arm and he started laughing. "Not a word." I said very seriously, but he kept laughing with Bofur, Fili and Kili, and full of shame, I prayed to Yavanna for the earth to swallow me. "Leave me alone..." I hid my red face in my hands and they stopped laughing slowly.

"So... I was right, you like our uncle, right?" Kili said smiling at me and putting his arm around my shoulders. I looked across the camp and I saw that Thorin could not hear us.

"Kili... it's complicated."

"Why is it complicated? Like, I'm sure that he likes you, and... " I saw Fili he hit him. "Why did you do that?!"

Fili stared at me. "It is because of the other dwarf, right?" I nodded slightly. I could not tell them that I loved Thorin with all my heart because it was very complicated. I loved Thorin, but also I loved him for everything he did during the trip, and this Thorin had not done it yet. Although he was on the right direction.

"How do you hobbits court? Do you love only once like us?" Ori asked eating at my side.

I shook my head. "No, we do not have _Ones_ like you do." And I had noticed that few years ago when after Rosie's death, Sam went to Aman and he confessed his love for Frodo, who had fallen in love with him long ago. But I knew I could never love someone who was not Thorin. So I came up with a question that Gimli did not know how to respond at all the last time I asked him.

"How do you know who is your _One_?"

The four looked at each other, and Ori and Bofur began to babble.

"Well..."

"It's... something like..."

"You feel like..."

"Like if you are not be alone."

"Like if you do not want to separate yourself from that dwarf..." They tell at the same time.

I started laughing then. "So that is how you felt, Ori, when you saw Dwalin."

"W-What?!" the scribe shouted, blushing. "O-Of course not!"

We all started laughing so loud that the rest of the company stared at us as if we had gone mad.

"Admit it, Ori" said Kili laughing so hard that there were tears in his eyes.

"Yup! All the Company knows, well, everyine but Dwalin who is as blind as you are." Bofur added.

"Look who's talking! You're in love with my brother Nori! "

At that Bofur shut quickly. "That is... a lie." He said blushing.

I raised an eyebrow. "Look at us three..." I said laughing a little.

"Promise that you would not say that to anyone." Bofur was serious, and I had never seen him like that before.

"But I do not understand... if you know that they are your _One_, they should not feel the same way?"

Ori shook his head like Bofur, and the brothers sighed.

"You can find your _One_ in someone, but also you can not be your _One_'s _One_." Said Fili staring at me, and that left me more confused than before.

"What do you mean?"

They looked at each other and Bofur was the one who spoke. "Sometimes we do not find our _One_ because that dwarf has died or he is far from us, but sometimes, and that rarely happens, our _One_ finds his love in another dwarf."

"But... I thought that dwarves you only have one _One_."

"And that it's true." Kili said looking down. "You see... a few years ago we discovered that our mother, Dis, was Balin's _One_, but my mother had found his _One _in our father, Vili."

I looked where Balin was sat with his brother and Thorin. "But..."

Fili shook his head. "Our mother does not know, obviously. Both are have always been good friends, and when Mother married Father... Thorin told us that Balin left for years and he returned shortly after I was born."

I looked at the brothers. "But that is very sad..." I added, and the others nodded.

"You can not tell anyone, Bilbo, even our uncle. He would kill us if he knew we told anyone." I nodded and I looked at the toymaker and the scribe.

"How did you knew about this?"

"Bombur's wife told me." Bofur said quietly.

"Dwalin told me a while ago." Ori answered a little flushed.

We hear Thorin shoutting us to raise the camp and I looked at the four of them. "Let's make a deal. We help each other with our _Ones_, and we will never discuss this with anyone else." Bofur and Ori nodded, and then I looked at the brothers. "And when you find your _One_ you shall tell us and we will help, okay?"

The brothers smiled and we five hugged and lauged.

"What's going on here?" Said Thorin with Dwalin approaching at his side.

"Nothing! Nothing!" We said at once and we returned to laugh out loud at the faces of Dwalin and Thorin.

Dwalin helped Ori up and took him to his pony. I went to talk to Thorin and I smiled. "Thank you for your coat." I held his coat as I bowed.

"You do not have to bow to me, not you, Bilbo." Thorin smiled and put his own coat. "I see that you are now a very good friend of Bofur's." Said raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, we have many things in common." I smiled but the King Under the Mountain did not laugh.

"Be carefull little burglar, try not to get into too much trouble."

"Uncle Boggins! Come with us! The fact that you like someone of the Company doesn't mean you will be without us" Kili shouted up in his pony, and I heard the laughter of Fili and Bofur.

Thorin growled and I tried not to do the same. "I think I got myself into trouble when I signed that contract, don't you think so, my King?" Thorin raised an eyebrow and I winked at him going with the rest of my little group, except for Ori who was with Dwalin who was speaking to him about swords and axes. Bofur hit me in the back and the brothers encouraged me for flirt with Thorin, because after what happened, after all we had been through, why not have some fun making fun of Thorin? I was not a respected Baggins after all, so...

We continue the trip as we had begun, telling stories and laughing. Gradually we approached to the place where last time we almost got eaten by trolls had it not been for the intervention of Gandalf.

Following the same argument as last time, Gandalf was gone, leaving us alone at the mercy of Trolls, but before he left I said to him. "When you get to Rivendell, tell Lord Elrond to warn Lady Galadriel without telling Saruman. When we get to Rivendell I'll talk to you three." And with that I got prepared for a busy night.

"Bombur, make dinner." Thorin ordered as we set up camp. "Fili, Kili, take care of the ponies, and get away of trouble." Both brothers went off to the ponies and I talked to Thorin.

"Thorin, can I ask you something?" I said to Thorin while he was stacking wood for a fire.

"Whatever you need, Master Baggins." I sighed. I did not like that he referred to me as that, but I could see a mocking smile on his lips.

"I wanted... I came to ask if I could _please_ have a weapon, your majesty."

Thorin looked a little more serious. "A weapon? Do you think we can't protect you?"

"No!" I replied altered. "Of course not, only I want to be more safe."

"We'll protect you, master burglar, you do not have to worry."

"But I would be safer with a sword!"

Thorin grunted and turned away. "I will not give you a sword so you'd end up hurt, that is settle. "

Thorin moved away in search of firewood and I growled. "Stubborn dwarves!"

I returned with Bofur and Ori, and sat with them. "Trouble in paradise?"

I looked at Bofur and I groaned. I was in no mood for his jokes. "Do not worry Bilbo, Thorin has always been... like that."

"Ori is right." Bofur said. "Thorin has always been pretty stubborn. Before now I think I had only saw him smile when he was with his nephews, and since the trip started he smiles every time you speak to him." I bit my lip trying not to smile and Bofur put his arm around my shoulders. "If Nori would treat me like he treats you, I would be happy!"

"Hey, you're talking about my brother!" Groan Ori.

Then they started arguing and I took the opportunity to look where Thorin was. Thorin was looking at me but he did not look happy, he seemed quite angry. Thorin was slowly turning his eyes away from me and I felt a chill. What had I done now?

We continued talking until dinner was ready. Before I could start eating Thorin approached to us first looking at Bofur and then at me. "Burglar, lead these food to Fili and Kili." And with that he left.

I looked confused and then Bofur and Ori told me not to worry about him, so I went in search of the two brothers. I walked quietly and I watched as one of the trolls took our ponies. I left the bowls of food on a tree and when I saw Fili and Kili I looked at them angrily. "Why did you leave the ponies alone?!" I screamed in a whisper, and the two brothers apologized. "I'll go for them, you warn Thorin, no hesitations!" I took one of the swords Fili was wearing in the belt and I made them to go to the camp.

I walked over to where the trolls were discussing and with the sword I broke the tie that was keeping captive our ponies. Carefully I led them outside the camp of trolls, but one of them heard a noise coming from the forest and caused a stampede.

"What was that?" One of the trolls asked, and when I notice he I took my from my waist. " Why there is an oversized squirrel stealing our dinner!?"

"I'm not a squirrel! I'm a... burglar-hobbit!"

"A bruglar-what?"

"Release me or Mahal's wrath will fall upon you!"

One of them, Tom, laughed at me. "Can we eat it?"

Then Thorin stepped from the trees, sword in hand. "Drop him!" The trolls looked at each other.

"You what?" Tom said looking at him.

"Thorin, run!"

"Can we eat him too?" Tom looked at William who nodded.

"I said, drop him." He pointed his sword and then they threw me against him, ending both on the ground, myself above Thorin. I heard as the rest of the Company go out of the trees. Thorin lay me down. "Stay here." He ordered me and he went to fight with the others.

I groaned, I wanted to show them, _him_, that I also knew how to fight, so I grabbed Fili's sword and I joined them. I noticed that Ori could barely lift his slingshot and Dwalin was protecting him at his side, so I went to help Bofur who was with Oin and Balin. "Carefull Bofur!" I moved Bofur just in time because one of the trolls was going to step on him. Instead, One of them took me.

"Bilbo!" The whole Company screamed, and Fili held Thorin in his place since he seemed like he was going to kill the trolls on his own.

"Lay down your arms! Or we'll rip his off!" I stared at Thorin and I saw how defeated he seemed as he put down his arms as the rest of the Company did after.

They put us in bags like last time. We had been caught twice already! I cursed for how stupid I had been again. The dwarves who were on fire were the Ri brothers, Dwalin and Bofur. Dwalin was between Ori's legs and Bofur was between Nori's. How ironic.

"I told you to stay out of the fight." Growled Thorin beside me.

"I could not let you fight alone and ended up wounded." I replied looking at him, and Thorin looked away from me.

"You could not bear to see Bofur hurt."

I raised an eyebrow. "O-Of course, he is my friend." And then I understood. "Thorin Oakenshield, are you jealous?" Thorin growled without looking at me and I rolled my eyes. "How can you be jealous of Bofur if we are just ..."

"Can you just stop this love-fight please? We are going to be eaten by some trolls, think of something!" Said Kili hitting me, and then I thought he was right. I stood up and shouted at the trolls.

"Wait! You're making a terrible mistake! "

"Bilbo, shut up." Thorin threatened me, but I kicked him so he'd shut up.

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Shouted Dori from where they were cooking him.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?"shouted Bofur, and I groaned.

"I meant with the...uh, with the...with the seasoning." I said very seriously and all the dwarf cried out unhappy.

Bert the troll looked at me. "What about the seasoning?"

"Well, have you smelt them? You're gonna need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up!"

"Bilbo!" I heard Thorin screaming, but I ignored him.

"What do you know about cooking dwarves?" William said disinterested, but Bert stopped him.

"Shut up, and let the...uh, flurgerburbur-hobbit talk"

I smiled with the kindest smile I could pretend, which I used to use whenever Lobelia appeared at Bag End. "The secret to cooking dwarf is ... skin them first."

"What ?! Bilbo, how could you?!" Was heard shouting at my dwarves, and they looked pretty hurt.

While the trolls were debating whether or not listen to me I looked at Thorin and whispered. "Trust me."

I saw how they took Bombur, again, and I shouted to them. "Uh...not...not that one, he...he's infected! With parasites. In fact, we all are. "

Thorin seemed to get my message and they all started shouting that they had large parasites within them. Then I saw Gandalf running throw the bushes, and something happened that last time did no. Bert took me instead of arguing with the dwarves. "And you little chatty ferret? Sure you do not have parasites." Then he opened his big mouth, ready to eat me. I heard Thorin screaming, and luckily, Gandalf cried.

"The dawn will take you all!"

Gradually the three of them became stone, and I left hanging from the hand of one of them. I could see Thorin breath of relief as he saw I was safe.

* * *

I'm going down with these ships! Actually, I really like Bilbo/Bofur but I love Thilbo and Bori, do this two are going to be only Bros.  
Thank you all for those comments and favs!


	10. The truth is revealed

Telepathic "(-)"  
Sindarín telepathic "(-)" in bold.  
Thank you so much for your comments and favs!

* * *

I was hanging from the hand of one of the trolls and I could see how Thorin breath of relief as he saw that I was safe.

"I'm too old for this..." I sighed once Gandalf put me down of the troll's hand and we were getting to their cave.

"Are you all right, Bilbo? It was my fault that they took you..." Bofur couldn't look at me, he was staring to the ground.

"This was not your fault!" I grabbed his arm and I smiled at him. "For what are friends for if not to defend them from a troll's attack?" Bofur smiled briefly and I moved a little bit closer so I could whisper to him. "Go with Nori and get to see if he is okay, I can handle it on my own." Bofur nodded and he went to check on Nori. Before I could get inside of the cabe I saw how Dwalin was helping Ori sitting down on a rock. When I thought about going there with them, Thorin approached to me, stomping.

"Master Baggins do not stay behind, we don't want to get throw anything like what we did last night."

I growled at his words. "It was not my fault thet they took me, besides, I was the only one claver enough to win us some time!"

Thorin kept looking at his feet while he walked away. "If you had stayed where I told you none of this would have happened."

Before I could reply at him, in not a very hobbitish way, Gandalf came closer and he put a hand over my shoulder. "It was a really good idea winning some time dear Bilbo."

"I had done it once before, Gandalf, I don't know how they could took me again this time." I sputtered, but Gandalf only raised an eyebow.

"I have talked with Lord Elrond: he will call Lady Galadriel and we will stay in Rivendel for a few days."

I nodded slightly and I looked at him. "Get into the cave with Thorin, I will wait out here."

"I thought that you will join us in there."

I shook my head and I tried to smile. "Thorin does not seen to be pleased around em right now, furthermore, I know what it's inside there so I'll be here waiting with the Company for..." I cleared my throat.

"Waiting for who?"

"You will know soon enough"

"Bilbo..." He started to say but I was already leaving his side. I decided to stay close to Fili and Kili who were counting our weapons.

"Here, Fili." I gave him his sword and I smiled. "It has served me of much help." Right after that the brothers began to apologize and I could only hugged them. "I will always protect you both, no matter what, okay? I'm older than you, I have to! I laughed because this time it was true: I was 130 years old, and they were barely 82 and 77.

"How old are you, Bilbo?" Asked Kili sitting down beside the entrance of the cave.

I looked at Kili and for a second I hesitated. "I'm one hund... I'm fifty, and I'll be fifty one on September 22."

"B-But then you are a child!" Kili shouted, startling all of the members of The Company. From inside the cave came running Gandalf and Thorin.

"What's going on?!" Thorin demanded and I could only laugh out loud. "Why are you laughing, halfling?" I noticed that Thorin was trying to repress a smile.

"Bilbo's only 50, uncle!" Kili shouted again and the whole Company screamed at once.

"What!"

I couldn't stop laughing and a little bit later Gandalf also was laughing. I laughed so hard that tears ran down my cheek!

"Dear dwarves friends..." tried to say Gandalf without laughing, but he did not succeed. "Hobbits are considered adults at the age of 33!"

I kept laughing. "Your faces!" I said pointing at them unable to stop laughing. Everyone else except for me and Gandalf did not looked too amused.

"Master Baggins... I do not see why is this so funny." Said Thorin serious, which made us laugh harder.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry really, but, your faces! Oh, I could paint you just like that!" I kept laughing, tears were falling down my face from laughing so hard.

Thorin growled and he looked at the Company. "Take everything that we have, we are leaving immediately."

Once I stopped laughing I noticed that Thorin got in his belt Orcrist, and I turn to see Gandalf who was looking to me amused. "I do not know why, but I think this is yours, Bilbo." He give me Sting and I smiled. I stroked my sword which had been so useful for me and for my little Frodo about 20 years ago.

"Thank you, Gandalf." I heard Fili and Kili growl and I laughed again.

"Did you not say that you were waiting for someone?" I nodded.

"He should be hear by now... maybe after my accident and Ori's he came earlier of what I had expected." I looked around me but nothing, Radagast was not any near.

Suddenly a warg attacked us like last time. Radagast was not with us this time so, how could we get out of it alive?

"Let's run towards the esplanade!" Roared Thorin and I ran by his side.

"Thorin, they will take us! We can not run without a plan!"

"There is not plan, Master Baggins, you will have to run like the rest of us!"

We run to a large rock, the orc pack right behind us. Dwalin was carring Ori, and he was shacking because of the fear. Gandalf was looking to everywhere like a mad man, and then I knew that he was looking for the secret entrance of Rivendell, but it was too far away from us yet. We kept running around of big rocks trying not to be seen. Maybe then I was 50, but running around is not something that we hobbits are accustomed of, my body was bearly keeping up and it was thanks to my Took's blood.

"Come on, Bilbo!" Bofur shouted, who was running next to Nori and Dori.

I could not keep running, I was too slow and I thought that the wargs were going to see me and they'll eat me. I was going to give up when strong arms caught me. I wanted to complain, but Thorin looked at me serious. "There is not time for your complains. Get on my back."

I did what he asked. I wanted to tell him that he did not need to take care of me, that I was too heavy, but he kept running like if I was just a little blanket. The orc pack was on our feet, Dwalin and Thorin get me and Ori into the ground, behind them, protecting us. Fili and Kili were at my side protecting each other with their arms in their hands. I also saw how Nori was standing in front of Bofur, also protecting him, and Galdalf was looking around searching for the entrance to Rivendell. After some intense seconds when we were all ready to kill the orcs we heard horns sounding in the distance, and soon enough there were arrows flying and killing the orcs. The ones who survived ran away, probably to Dol Guldur. Little by little the elves, who had saved us, arrived, Lord Elrond ahead, and these did not make the dwarves move, no, they even got more tense.

"Gandalf. I was not expecting you so soon." Said Lord Elrond smiling and looking at us.

Gandalf bow and so I did. "Lord Elrond, thank you for saving us from the orcs." Gandalf came closer to him and gave him his hand to shake it with Lord Elrond, who got off of his horse.

"This must be the Company of Thorin Oakenshield I assume?"

"We had it all under control, we did not need your help." Thorin roared, and I took his arm.

"Thorin..." He growled but did not say another word.

"Thank you, Lord Elrond." I said bowing again.

"I assume you are Bilbo Baggins, Belladona Took's son, isn't that correct?"

I nodded. "I am." I tried to get closer to him but Thorin grabbed me possessively.

"The halfling is with us." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"**Stubborn dwarves..." **I whispered and Lord Elrond laughed.

"**I did not know you could speak Sandarin."**

I nodded briefly "My mother taught me when I was a little hobbit, and some elves friends I helped me to improve it some time ago." Thorin looked at me but he did not say anything again, instead, Lord Elrond offered us his hospitality: some food, some wine and a well deserved bath. "Thorin, we are really tired, please..." I begged. "Lord Elrond is not like Thranduil, I assure you that, trust me. Besides, he can read the part of the map which we can't read."

Thorin looked at the Company who we all were about to faint after what we had ran and he nodded slightly. We set up to Rivendell, this time not throw the secret passage.

"I trust you, Bilbo, but them..."

"I knew your father and your grandfather, Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror. I tried yo help your people when you lost Erebor." Said Lord Elrond getting up to his horse. "Thror did not want my help because of his selfish acts and because of what Thranduil did. I hope that our _relationship _will be better than theirs."

Thorin murmured something in Khuzdul and I took his hand. "Thorin is not like his grandfather." I looked at Thorin and I squeezed his hand. "Look into the bright side, this is better than running around while some arcs are trying to kill us." I smiled brightly to him and he could not hold his smile.

"I guess you are right Bilbo."

"As always." I laughed again.

Thorin's expression changed radically when Bofur came closer to see if I was alright and I had to let go of his hand. Thorin advanced and he stayed right beside his nephews while Bofur and me talked whispering about how Nori had protected him form the orcs. Once we got to Rivendell I was amazed of seeing that place again. The elves lead us to our rooms, one for each of us, and I stayed in the garden next to mine. Barely 20 years before I was right in that place, and I could not content my joy. I turned on myself a couple of times and then I found Thorin's serious eyes watching me.

"I assume you don't like this place?" I raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"No, burglar, I do not like this place, and I hope I will get out of here as soon as Lord Elf has read the map."

I rolled my eyes. "His name is Lord Elrond, and he has only been kind to us all. Thorin, you can not guilt all the elves because of what Thranduil did."

"If you are so happy here then you should stay with the elves. Stay with Bofur since that seems to be what you desire." Thorin left with the others leaving me dumbfounded. What was going on?

"Thorin!" I yelled grabbing his arm before he could get inside. "What have I done to you now?"

Thorin did not leave but he kept avoiding my eyes. "Are we friends, master Baggins?"

I got closer to him. "Well, of course! At least for my part..."

He looked at me then. "Are you in love with Bofur?"

"What?!" I could not believe what he had just said. I didn't know if I should laugh or hit him in the face. "Of course I'm not in love with Bofur!"

"Do not lie to me, burglar." Thorin said, angry.

"I'm not laying, I swear!"

"I heard Kili the other day saying that you were in love with someone of the Company, do not deny it!"

I started to laugh angrily. "Mahal, Thorin..."

"It's that a yes then?"

I sighed in exasperation. "I do NOT love Bofur!" Before he could say anything I kept screaming. "Yes, what Kili said it's true, I do love someone from The Company, and if you did not have your face right inside your... inside your _royal ass _and if you were not so blind you will see then that I... Agggh!" I did not finished the sentence and I left running, tears on my eyes. "Stupid dwarves..."

After some time running around going to nowhere I found Lord Elrond who was searching for me. "Mister Baggins, we were looking for you. Gandalf said that you needed to talk to us."

I agreed. "Yes, has Lady Galadriel came yet?"

Lord Elrond nodded and he took me to where years before The Fellowship of The Ring had been created. Lady Galadriel, who was beautiful as always, smiled kindly to me.

"(So this is the halfling.)" I heard in my mind and I bowed.

"Lady Galadriel. It's always a placer to see you." She raised an eyebrow smiling but she did not say another word. I saw Gandalf sitting at the other side of the table and at his right was someone who I was not expecting. "Radagast!" The Brown Wizard started and Gandalf laughed at his reaction.

"Have you tell him that I'm here, Gandalf?"

Gandalf did not stop from looking at me with a smile on his face. "Not a word, Radagast."

"Without more consideration I think we should begin, don't you think, Bilbo?" Asked Lord Elrond to me and I sat in one of the big-chairs at the other side of Gandalf. Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel did not sit down and Radagast sat on the table looking at me.

"Tell us, little hobbit, how is that every one of us has dreamed about you and about a future of war and suffer?" This time was Lady Galadriel who spoke.

"It's hard to explain, but I will try..." And that it's how I started to tell them about my first adventure with my dwarves, how I found the One Ring, how we reclaimed Erebor again, how the heirs of Durin died (this made Gandalf really uncomfortable), the years that I passed grieving, the creation of The Fellowship of The Ring with Isildur's heir and my nephew Frodo, Saruman's betrayal, the Great War, our arrive to Aman, my 130 birthday there and how Aulë and Yavanna had told me what I would have to do...

When I ended my story Radagast was the first one who spoke.

"How are we going to know that what he is saying it's true?"

Before I could answer Lady Galadriel came closer to me and took my hands in hers. Her ayes were full of tears. "I, myself, I'm saying it... You have seen so much suffering and you have suffered so much Bilbo Baggins... First your dwarf then your nephew..." Lord Elrond could see also my thoughts as well as the two wizards. I felt exposed, everybody there could see my memories, my fears, my joys and my losses...

I bit my lip. "It's Aulë and Yavanna's plan that we should stop the Great War before it happens, that it's why we should take down Sauron as soon as possible. We must destroy the One Ring after the dwarves had reclaimed Erebor."

"We should go immediately to Mordor and defeat Sauron." Said Lord Elrond and I stood up.

"I am the one send back from Yavanna and Aulë, and we will do the things on my way like they planned it. Aulë wants to see his sons alive and that it's what I'm going to do, keep them alive."

Lady Galadriel looked at me. "Who else died during the war apart from your friends, Bilbo?"

I cleared my throat and I looked at my fingers. "Saruman died prey to his own greed, and you Mithranduir, you died and came back to life as the White Wizard. They were also Haldir, who died in battle and one of the members of the Fellowship, Boromir son of Denethor II"

We stayed in silence for a while until we saw the sunset. "It will be the best if we come back with my guests, they must be hungry and we all have a lot to think about." Lord Elrond and the wizards left and before I could fallow them Lady Galadriel's voice was on my head again, this time talkin in Sindarin.

"**(Bilbo, this time your beloved dwarves will not die, neither your nephew will fall to the pain that The One Ring inflicts, I assure you.)" **

I smiled at her and I bowed again. **"Thank you, Lady Galadriel."**

She returned my smile and she kissed my curls. I found my self closing my eyes. **"You also will get the love of the dwarf you desire." **Before I could open my eyes she was gone, leaving my alone smiling to nowhere.

Dinner with my dwarves was really busy as the one we had, but this time I was sitting between Fili and Kili who were talking about how much Kili did like elves. Lindir and I talked for a long time, meanwhile Dwalin was laughing at Kili because he likes a male-elf and Ori calmed down Dwalin so he could not keep laughing at poor Kili. Oh, how much do people change because of love...

"So mister Bilbo, there is any lady-hobbit expecting you in the Shire?" Asked Lindir curious , and I smiled.

"No, Lindir, and even if there was one waiting for I would be male..." I blushed and Fili and Kili laughed at me.

"I'm sure he is a womanizer!" Cried out Kili and everyone except for Thorin laughed.

"Quite the opposite! I have always being a very responsible hobbit..."

"Are you implying, Bilbo that you have been with no one, ever?" Kili's face looked then like one of Merry's poems, limp and colorless.

"I-I have not found anyone in the Shire with whom I would like to have a family..." I tried not to look at Thorin.

"Bilbo, I'm sure you will find a male hobbit or a _dwarf _with whom you will want to have family." Lindir smiled and I smiled in return.

"A family? But if Bilbo likes males... you can adopt children in the Shire?" Asked Bofur raising and eyebrow next to Nori.

Lindir looked at me confused. "I think Bilbo may still be able to breed a child, he is not so old, right?"

Everyone fell silence again and this time was Thorin the one who spoke. "Bilbo is... a male, I think that was clear."

Right then I did not know if I should laugh or cry. I decided to laugh with Gandalf, Lindir and Lord Elrond. "Thorin, male hobbits can breed a child just like male elves, you did not know it?"

I noticed how Thorin blushed a little. "B-But... that is impossible."

"Of course not! Why do you think the Shire it's so full of children? Women and men can have them."

"Wow..." Said Kili and Ori at the same time.

"I was not expecting that..." Dwalin said trying not to laugh while he was looking at Thorin and me.

"So..." Started Thorin looking at my eyes. "If you were with a man... you could have children with him?"

"Y-Yes.. b-but the dwarf I loved died and the one I'm starting to love it's an idiot, he will never notice. I will get too old soon enough before he would notice it." I tried to joked but none of them laughed.

"Bilbo!" Shouted Bofur from the other table. "Lets sing a song to cheer up everyone!"

I laughed when I heard Lord Elrond growl. "I don't think it's the best time for it."

"Nonsenses!" Shouted Nori. "Come on, dance and sing!"

I looked at Thorin who was looking at me still in shock. He was looking like he was seeing my soul. I decided to ignore the feeling that I would never be with him, and I stood up in the table. "Come on, Bofur!" and we started to sing:

There is an inn

there is an inn

a merry old inn

beneath an old grey hill,

And there they brew a beer so brown

That the Man in the Moon himself came down

one night to drink his fill.

The ostler has a tipsy cat

that plays a five-stringed fiddle;

And up and down he saws his bow

Now squeaking high, now purring low,

now sawing in the middle.

So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,

a jig that would wake the dead:

He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,

While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:

'It's after three!' he said.

We all ended up laughing and all the food was all over the place. I was not a respected hobbit anymore, but, who cares? I bowed mockery at Thorin and he raised an eyebrow, he was less tense and thoughtful as before, I could even see I little smile in his face.

When I got down the table we heard horse's steps not far away from us. What was doing a horse inside of the palace? Everyone, dwarves and elves stood up and we all took our weapons. Thorin came closer to me and he grabbed my arm puling me behind him, protecting me.

"Please, this time do as I say and stay behind me, I beg you."

I nodded and I saw how he sighed of relief. When we saw that someone was ridding the horse, Thorin grabbed me tighter, Orcrist in his other hand. I grabbed my 'letter opener' with my other hand and I took Thorin's hand with the other one. When I saw who was on the horse I was shocked. He got off of the horse and looked at us. He had been my friend for almost 80 years and he had helped me and my nephew. He was looking at all of us surprised.

"Legolas?" He looked at me and he opened his eyes even more surprised.

"Bilbo?"


	11. The elf who remembered

"Legolas?"

"Bilbo?"

I blinked and I let go of Thorin, also dropping Sting. "Legolas!" I ran to him.

"For Yavanna, Bilbo!" Legolas bent down and hugged me tightly. " I-I thought that... I woke up again in Mirkwood, nobody knew where my One was, nobody remembered anything!"

I kept hugging him tightly. "I know, I know..." I walked away from him just a little and he kissed my curles. I heard a growl, probably made by Thorin.

"You are young again."

"We need to talk." I said to him and then I turn around to look at the others who looked confused. "D-Don't worry, he is my friend, Legolas."

Legolas was looking at them, eyes wild, and then he looked at me. "H-How is that they are aliv..." He whispered but I I had him shut up.

"I'll tell you later."

Thorin came closer to us and he raised his sword to Legolas. "How is that you know this... tree shagger?"

I raised my hands and I lowered Thorin's arm while I was looking at him right into his ayes. "He saved me, Thorin. He tried to save Theon, he did until he was out of arrows. Thorin, please, he is not like his father."

Legolas was lookingstartled at Thorin. "Thorin... I promise you that there is not a single living being who hates my father as much as I do, I assure this to you."

I put my hands over Thorin's chest to calm him down and then I looked at Legolas. "What has he done?"

Legolas pointed to the door and I followed him after I was sure that Thorin was okay. We arrived in a garden near a waterfall and Legolas sat on a bench. "W-What has happened, Bilbo? First I was in Aman to see you and then I was in Mirkwood again, care to explain that?"

"Let's start from the beginning." We sat on the grass and I hugged him again. "It's been a long time, old friend."

Legolas hugged me back and kept the embrance until he sighed and we broke apart. "We are the only ones who remember, right?"

"The others are having dreams about our other live, but nobody remembers anything specific."

Legolas nodded but he looked down. "And Gimli?"

"Gloin told me that he was in Ered Luin... Now he must be only 62 years old.."

Legolas looked back at me shocked. "He isn't even of age... how am I going to tell him that he is my One?" Legolas hid his face in his hands and I tried to comfort him.

"He loves you, you will be together some how, I'm sure." I smiled and I looked to the sky which was getting dark. "How did you get to Aman? I thought that Gimli and you were going to stay in Erebor."

"My father did everything that he could do so we could not be together. He didn't want us to get married so he made impossible for the provisions which came form the West to reach the mountain unless we'd stop... We could no longer stay there so we left. Gimli's family had died, we had nothing there that was ours, so I built a boat with my own hands and we went to Aman. He was quite ill when we arrived and Lord Elrond told me that... " He bit his lip and he began to rip off some grass with his hands.

"You don't need to tell me about it if you don't want to, Legolas."

He shook his head and after a long sigh he continued. "Lord Elrond said he was going to died. We wanted to start a family but... we could not. I was with him for days waiting for a miracle but he did not improve. Gimli convinced me to go and see you because he could not move, and Frodo and Sam had told us you were also very sick. When I opened your room I saw two figures on your bed and the last thing I remember is a blinding light. I woke up in my bed in Mirkwood after that, and I yelled at everyone because I thought they had departed me from Gimli... I realized that something was wrong when Bard appeared, waiting to sell some old barrels. After that I took my horse and I decided to go looking for you and Gandalf to know what had happened." I lay staring at the sky and then I explained him what had happened in Aman and that no one remembered what had happened, they had dreams and nothing more. Legolas waited patiently for me to finish speaking. "This is crazy…"

I nodded. "But now we have a chance to do it well, Legolas! Think about it, now all the mistakes we had made can change: I can save Thorin and you can avoid Gimli to fall ill."

Legolas looked up at the sky thinking. After a few minutes he changed the subject. "Are you going to tell your dwarves that this is not the first time you have see them?"

"Not now ... The only ones I've told what happened are Gandalf, Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel."

Legolas stood up while I was still lying on the grass. "I'll go to talk to Lord Elrond to send a message to my father. He does not know why I left running and I better make up something before he sends patrols looking for me. "

I smiled and I affirm with my head. Thranduil was more stubborn and possessive than Thorin, and he did not even have the Dragon's disease. I could not believe that Thrandruil prohibit them from being together... a father always wants the best for his children and seeing Legolas with Gimli was seeing two people in love. There may be two different races, but what matter? If Thranduil had seen them fight side by side as Merry and Pippin told me, I was sure he would understand their relationship. I must have been lost in thoughts for a long time because when I heard footsteps behind me I was already shivering.

"Bilbo." Thorin came and he joined me in the ground. I smiled sleepy at him. "I was... we worried about you."

"I just needed some fresh air."

"Bilbo, you're frozen! How could you possibly stay out here with the few clothes you're wearing?"

I looked at myself. I was wearing clothing that I always had wore and I was _not_ frozen. "You're a bit exaggerated..." I lay back. "I'm fine, I'll sleep here, the grass of Rivendell is softer than the one of the road that we have passed by." Years ago there had been times when I had slept in the open because I still could not be accustomed to sleep in a bed after leaving Erebor. "Besides, you're the one who wants me to stay here and do not accompany you to Erebor."

I felt as Thorin sighed. "I did not say that …"

"Yes you did!" I turned to look at him, still lying. "You told me to stay here with _Bofur_! How do you come up with such a nonsense? I hope you will not say crap like that when you'll be King Under the Mountain because otherwise, you take it raw!"

Thorin seemed to be in shock because he was blinking and staring at me. "Nobody has talked to me like that way for a long time." His tone did not seem angry but shocked.

"Well, it's about time, don't you think? Now, are you going to get your head out of your royal ass and tell me why did you think I would want to stay here with _Bofur_?" The anger seemed to get me warm again.

Thorin was a bit shocked. "I ..." He cleared his throat. "You were together all the journey."

I groaned and put my hands over my eyes trying to calm down. "Thorin, Bofur is in love with Nori." I removed my hands from my face and I saw that Thorin had a eyebrow raised.

"Really?"

"Really." I said very seriously. "Bofur loves Nori since the beginning of the journey and I will try to help him to see if Nori wants to court him, is that clear?"

The near-King nodded slightly. "Then... I do not understand, if you're not in love with Bofur, who do you...?"

"I'm too old for this, Thorin, and you too." I sat down and I approached to him until we were almost nose to nose. "Do you have something important to tell me?"

Thorin gulped as he looked at me. "N-No." He looked at my lips and then back at my eyes.

"Are you sure?" At that time I wished with all my heart that he would say yes, that he wanted to be with me, that he was a fool to think that I could have something with Bofur and…

He looked away from my eyes and answered. "I don't."

I sighed and I could not help face get full of disappointment. "Of course you don't."

I got up and I left without looking back. I heard Thorin shouting my name but I didn't turned around and I didn't stopped to look at him not even once. I was too hurt. For 80 years I had thought that Thorin liked me, at least part of me, which made the rest of my mind laughed about how absurd was that nonsense of the first love. A king could not love a simple hobbit.

I do not know how long I walked but I got to a place I did not recognize: there was a small fall, the moon was shining causing that I could see the glow green grass. I sat under a big tree, I could not mourn, I could not be soft as a hobbit, I had to behave like a dwarf if I wanted the trip to not affect me more than it had done in my before life. A blinding light brought me back to reality and I noticed that the grass I had grabbed so hard that there was not longer grass under my hands. A tall woman dressed in green and with a light much brighter than the brightness of Lady Galadriel was before me.


	12. Before we go to sleep, sing to me

I'm so so sorry! I won't be able to keep posting this fic until summer because I have to study a lot! It's my last year in high school.

Again, I'm sorry, and I tell you this: this fic it's not NOT over, I will start posting again in SUMMER.

I'll see you again in summer 3

* * *

Yavanna.

"Tell me, my son what it is worrying you."

"My lady..." I tried to kneel but Yavanna took my face in her soft hands and she made me look at her.

"Bilbo, you don't have to kneel before anyone." Yavanna was smiling and I smiled at her nervous. I stood up and she stroked my hair. "You are worried about your One, Aulë's son, am I right?"

"I must follow the plan... I can not get distracted, and he is technically not my Thorin."

Yavanna kissed my forehead and she pulled back. "He is your soulmate, he only needs a little bit of time, my dear Bilbo." I heard something and I turned, thinking it would be a deer, but I didn't see anything and Yavanna laughed slightly. "Maybe Thorin is not technically the same man you fell in love so long ago, but I he is also the one you love now..."

"Thorin is so blind..."

"This time you have time to make it right."

I turned to see her again but she was gone.

"But...!" I could not continue the sentence because I heard again a noise behind me. Thorin was hiding behind a tree and he was staring.

"I... was looking for you, Bilbo... I' am sorry about what I said before, I..." He cleared his throat and I saw how he was blushing and leaving his eyes from mine's.

I sat on the grass looking at the sky. The only light wich was lighting us was from the stars and the moon. I felt something around me and I smiled slightly when I saw it was Thorin's coat.

"How much have you heard?" I asked once he had sat down next to me.

"Enough.."

I snorted. "That's not an answer."

Thorin sighed. I looked at him and he was looking up, like if he was inspecting the stars. "You were talking to a lady-elf that I was blind to see. But now I see clearly."

I nodded back at the floor and we were both sheltered by silence. After a while I spoke. "I'm too old for this, Thorin, tell me what would you do with what you know or please, go."

Thorin laughed, _laughed,_ and I could not help but looking at him. "I don not know what to do Master Baggins... and you're definitely not too old, my little thief." Thorin approached to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry that I had behaved like that..." He lifted my chin with his other hand to make me look at him intently. "I feel as I've known you for a lifetime, why?" His words were barely whispers, very close to me.

I dared to stroke his hair with one hand while I was staring at him. "Thorin..." He closed his eyes.

"Repeat that." He put his forehead against mine without removing my fingers from his hair.

"Thorin..." I returned with a whisper and Thorin growled slightly. The hand which was on my shoulder went up and grabbed my hair making our lips practicallytogether.

"Every time I think about you I think about flowers, acorns, old books and in the blue-green color of your eyes." He opened his eyes and stared at me. I could hardly breathe. "We barely know each other but I know that I know you from before... what are you doing to me, _**Ghivashel**_?"

I bit my lip when he called me that, _treasure of all treasures_. "Thorin, I..."

Thorin stroked my lips and I stopped biting them. "If you keep doing that I will not be able to concentrate." I nodded slightly and he kept stroking my lips. "I never thought I would find my One while I was looking for my lost home." I wanted to get a little closer and kiss him as much as I wanted to do for a very long time, but I was afraid that Thorin would not be with me. Thorin must have sensed what I was thinking because he came closer and kissed my forehead. "Bilbo... tell the truth, please."

I hugged him hiding my face in his neck. "You would not believe me if I told you..."

"Try me." Thorin began making circles on my back gently.

I gulped and I stroked Thorin's long hair, playing with it. "We must have met in another life..."

"Perhaps it's that... Perhaps our ancestors were together when Yavanna and Mahal created us."

I laughed lightly against his chest. "A Dwarf King and a hobbit? Impossible... The hobbit would not be enough for the dwarf king. "

Thorin stared at me again without getting me of his chest. "Or maybe the dwarf king was not enough for a sensitive hobbit." We both smiled.

"How do you know I'm your ...?"

"I know since I dreamed about you the day before going to Bag End, I knew I should protect you with my life."

"Now what is going to happen?"

"Are you sure that you do not like Bofur?" To that question I hit a little punch in the chest and he started laughing. "Okay, okay!"

I snorted and I looked to the sky. "Mahal... Yavanna... please..." _"Make him remember, I beg you..." _I thought.

Thorin also raised his head and then he looked at me. "I didn't know that you used to pray to my maker."

"Thanks to him you are here, how could I don't?"

Thorin took one of my curls away from my face. "I will also start to pray to Yavanna then..." I laughed and he kept stroking my back. "That Theon... you'll ever forget him?" I cleared my throat and bit my lip. He gently pulled my hair to get my attention. "Do not do that..."

"Sorry." I said blushing.

After a moment he spoke again. "Do you know what a consort is, Bilbo?" I shook my head. "It's the person who marries the King and has actual responsibilities."

I let out a little "Oh" and Thorin laughed and shook his head.

"I should be thinking of the Company, to reach Erebor and kill the dragon to claim my right to rule... But I'm here with you, thinking about feelings that doesn't seem mine."

"S-Sorry." I apologize again trying to get up but Thorin did not let me.

"Please do not apologize." He gave me a soft kiss on my temple. "I dreamed about you and I think I've known you for Eras, it must be Mahal's sign."

"Thorin..." This time I managed to not interrupt me sitting on his lap. "If you do not feel... If you do not feel what I feel for you... then we can still be friends... or fellow travelers."

Thorin laughed and pulled me closer to his chest. "So, tell me Bilbo, what do you feel about me?"

"I-I could die for you, to save you."

He came to my ear and whispered. "Then we feel the same way, master burglar." He pulled back to look at me and he smiled at me. I was blushing. "I may never become the dwarf that years ago you fell in love with, but I can try."

"T-Thorin... You're much more..."

"May I kiss you?" My heart stopped suddenly and my hands trembled at his words. I did not trust my voice to speak so slowly, I nodded, and immediately I felt soft lips on mine. I recognized those lips which I had kissed many decades ago, but now they were warm and it was corresponded. The kiss only took a few seconds and when we parted I noticed that I was crying. "D-Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head and I smiled while I was crying. "I-I never thought this would happen... T-That I could kiss you..."

He hugged me tighter and I could not stop mourning into his chest until Thorin begged me for it a little later. "I've never been good with feelings, this... is all new to me, Bilbo, and I do not know how to react."

"For me it is also new..."

"And jealousy... Bilbo, I'm possessive. I do not know what I could do to Bofur when I see him hugging you or giving you kisses in your hair. "

"He's my friend..."

"I can not help it."

"Thorin, you're not like your grandfather."

Thorin shook his head and gave a long sigh. "It's getting late, we should get up."

"S-sorry about what I said, sometimes the words come out of my mouth without thinki..." I did not finish the sentence because warm lips were pressed against mine's for a couple of seconds.

"I do not want you to get sick, Bilbo, when we can talk about this tomorrow, in somewhere warm." Thorin lifted us both and put an arm around my waist as we walked. "For such an _amazing_ place as you say, it's very cold."

I raised an eyebrow. "It's because spring is ending..."

We walked in silence to where we had our rooms. Thorin opened the door to my room and we fond that Legolas was sleeping and snoring. I could not help but laugh and smiled. Thorin closed the door amused.

"You can sleep with me, if you want." I looked at him blushing and he shook his head. "Just sleep, like a few nights ago."

"Y-Yeah, I-I know you meant by that..." I cleared my throat and he laughed.

"Sure, Master Baggins."

We went to his room and he let me in first. It was a simple room with a large bed size-elf. I took off Thorin's coat and Thorin carefully placed it on a chair. Thorin took off his armor and boots and he helped me to climb into the bed. Once we both were lying on the bed I looked at him. "I feel so comfortable with you..."

"And I do too, Bilbo." Thorin stroked my hair and I curled up against him. "Would you sing a song before we fall asleep? I promise to be by your side when we wake up." I nodded slightly and Thorin's hands started to stroked my back.

_ Roads go ever ever on, _

_ Over rock and under tree, _

_ By caves where never sun has shone, _

_ By streams that never find the sea; _

_ Over snow by winter sown, _

_ And through the merry flowers of June, _

_ Over grass and over stone, _

_ And under mountains in the moon. _

_ Roads go ever ever on _

_ Under cloud and under star, _

_ Yet feet that wandering have gone _

_ Turn at last to home afar. _

_ Eyes that fire and sword have seen _

_ And horror in the halls of stone _

_ Look at last on meadows green _

_ And trees and hills they long have known. _

Thorin was snoring softly beside me when I finished singing, and I slowly fell asleep thinking about a future where every night I could sleep with him.


End file.
